TFG's Hockey Musings

[radoran]

It may in fact be "more" possible in the NHL - but it's still nothing worth betting on that "anything can happen" in the playoffs.

 

Far more often, it is the teams that are expected to be in the Final that are in the Final.

 

In terms of "flukey" Cup winners, I think you can only look post-lockout at Los Angeles. Carolina is sometimes asserted, but they still had more than half their team from the Finals appearance of 2002. That's 12.5% chance of happening. Vegas loves those odds.

LA also had two major parts of a team that two years before had been to the Final.

 

Of "finalists" you can probably look at Edmonton, Philadelphia, LA and New Jersey in 2012. That's 4 of 16 "finalists" - 25%. Again, something Vegas will give you time and again.

 

Pulling off an upset in a round is one thing, pulling off the Cup win something else entirely.

 

To be clear "anything can happen" - it's just that it doesn't very often.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Haven't updated this thread in a while, and I have had a few thoughts (both hockey related and otherwise) floating around my blonde head.....ahem, but only hockey related make their way to this thread...hehe.

Soooo, I think it is time for a thread

 

 

 

TO TANK OR NOT TO TANK

 

Seems to be a thought on many fans' minds.

Should teams who seemingly have no shot just put out the bare minimum in order to 'play and be competitive' but not necessarily win?

Pretty tempting I am sure for many teams out there...though they CERTAINLY wouldn't want to be obvious about it, no?

And why not...the 2015 draft, even outside of McDavid and Eichel, looks to be very promising to at MINIMUM the top 10 picks or so.....and I am betting 11-15 at least, get a pretty damned good player also.

 

Anyways, I really don't care for the whole 'tanking' philosophy, and no team will ever admit to doing so.....not without some years passing by anyways.....but it will be something to watch as the year wears on.

Come the trade deadline, you heard it here first, you very well may see some teams that don't have a shot at the post season make some seemingly RIDICULOUS deals so that they can clear room and try to improve their chances of drafting very high in the draft....and on the flipside, you will see contenders, like tiger sharks smelling blood in the water, salivating to get their hockey mitts on some pretty good players from less fortunate teams that they otherwise wouldn't be able to get, due to some teams looking more towards the draft than the post season.

 

Hopefully that doesn't hurt the overall compeitiveness, integrity and fun for the fans for teams trying to win, but not really....

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Another thing that has disturbed this hockey fan to no end....

 

Consistent officiating.

Oh sure, the NHL has had problems with this for awhile now, but when is enough, ENOUGH??

 

Specifically, talking about goaltending interference in games.

I understand the rule, the reasoning, and the definition of what constitutes goaltender interference, yet still, I see games, and refs STILL interpret that in different ways, leading to inconsistency, and more important, allowing or not allowing goals in crucial situations.

 

I mean, I can see a goaltender incidentally bumped and he can't make a save, and THAT is interference....but I can also see players LITERALLY laying on top of goalies, the netminder can't make a save, and the goal is allowed.

What gives NHL?

Are these judgement calls? They shouldn't be. I thought the rulebook was pretty explicit about that....if the goalie isn't given a reasonable chance to make a save, ESPECIALLY if he is in his own crease, then it's interference.

 

I don't claim to be an NHL rules expert, and I certainly don't have a refs license, but seems pretty cut n dry to me.

Cmon NHL, get your schtick together....it is pretty embarrassing trying to explain these sorts of things to friends of mine who are TRYING to get into hockey, why sometimes its a penalty on a player touching a goalie, and other times why it isn't..... most think it's a complete joke...and they'd be right!

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

TEAMS AND STANDINGS

 

Teams rounding into shape...at least on the standings.

 

As we approach the quarter pole mark on the season, one can look at the standings now and see the expected results, more or less, on how teams stand.

Lots of flipping and flopping, rises and falls are going to happen the rest of the way of course, but for right now, things are looking pretty much, well, like they "should".

 

Atlantic:

Top teams there, Tampa Bay, Montreal, Boston...I think most expected that.

Toronto has stuck themselves in that mix as has Detroit....Ottawa, which was my complete darkhorse, is not that far behind, and Florida and Buffalo occupy the bottom rungs.

 

Metro:

Pens in 1st. No surprise there. I was one of the people who said the Pens MAY have taken a step or two backwards in the off season and would have to re-establish themselves.

Well, guess what, they have NOT taken any steps backwards and yes, they have remained as the team to beat in the division.

Everyone else in the division is a mixed stew of playoff possibilities and bottom of the barrel goodness.

 

Columbus residing at the bottom is kinda a surprise from a team standpoint, but from an injury standpoint, not hard to see WHY they are there. 4pts separate 2nd thru 6th places, and the Hurricanes, while not expected to do much, can and probably will make things interesting for everyone, provided they stay healthy and Cam Ward continues his revival.

Again, pretty much what most expected from the division...Pens on top, everyone else at each other's throats for the remaining positions.

 

Central:

What was supposed to be hockey's toughest, top to bottom division has not disappointed.

Up top we see the expected Blues and Hawks...although surprisingly, the defending division champs the Avs are squarely at the bottom. Maybe I am fooling myself, but I still have a hard time believing they will stay down there all year long....hmm...

 

The Wild are a bit disappointing to this point in the season, and it is the same ol story: finishing plays and scoring goals....and now it has gone over to the PP, which has been, to put it nicely, ineffective.

Nashville rides the top, and while that may surprise many, I can't say I personally am all that surprised. The Preds biggest problems last year were offense and no Pekka Rinne.

Well, this season, they not only got better offense, but Rinne is in net regularly and new coach Peter Laviolette seems to be pushing all the right buttons with regards to making the most out of his personnel, and having them play a more aggressive offensive game...and it is paying off for them. And incidentally, the Preds were my pick as the darkhorse, and they are doing much more than just being a black pony..

 

Interesting that some of the pundits who had the Avalanche regressing (so far, they are correct) didn't see the Predators PROGRESSING.....nice to know that number crunchers still aren't the be-all, know-alls that some think they are.... 

 

Pacific:

Ducks, Kings, Sharks...what else is new.

All three doing reasonably well to this point, especially the Ducks.

This division, however, has the most 'mixed up' teams as the Flames and Canucks have played well enough to stick their noses in the business of the three California teams.

Many felt Vancouver would be better this year, I wasn't one of them....I honestly thought they had another year of trying to establish themselves, but so far, they are proving me wrong.

 

I thought both the Flames and Oilers would be a bit improved, Edmonton is still taking their sweet time getting there but the Flames are playing beyond expectations right now. Whether they can continue that will remain to be seen, but good for them being in the middle of the usual playoff contending suspects.

My Pacific darkhorse pick were the Arizona Coyotes, and while they  haven't done a whole lot to be anywhere than where they are now (at the bottom), they still have played some games where it looks like they could perhaps get things together and put a nice run.

But goalie Mike Smith has to be a HUGE part of that, and so far this season, he has looked mediocre at best, downright horrible at worst.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

AHL and OT Format

 

Hey, NHL, pay attention....what they got going on down in the 'farm league' works...

 

Some stat was flashed yesterday during a game where it showed that OT games in the AHL went to a SO about 14% of the time, whereas the NHL this season, through the same time had something closer to 40% OT to SO games.

 

For those still unaware, the AHL has extended OT from 5 min to 7 min, and the skaters go 3 on 3 after the first three minutes.

This has led to more games being decided, not surprisingly, before a SO becomes necessary.

I rather like this.

 

What  concept, Mr. Bettman: Games being decided by actual skating, passing, checking and setting up plays RATHER than a skills competition.....whodathunkit!!

 

My only question is, Is the Gnome's ego manageable enough for him to go, "hey someone else came up with a good idea, and I should seriously consider applying it to our league".

I know there has to be votes and such put through, but as commisioner, one would think Bettman has significant say, no? He pushes hard for other things that eventually come to pass (no matter how ridiculous), so no reason why he can't take a sensible idea like the AHL's OT format and push hard on that for the NHL right?

 

Ok,ok, this IS the Kingdom of Bettman we are talking about here...we are talking about a guy who has survived three work stoppages, bad expansion ideas, and various officiating debacles and still has a job.

The man is made of teflon people......he is the Fidel Castro of hockey: He will remain in power till he dies of natural causes or someone assassinates him...

 

Just kidding on the assassination guys...don't want to advocate or give any ideas to anyone on here or anywhere else....and if the Feds and Mounties are listening in, it's just hyperbole...just to be clear....

 

Anyways, good work by the AHL in limiting the SO while still keeping them around for the casual benders who enjoy them as a means of deciding a good team from a bad one.....

And since the AHL is supposed to prepare players for what to expect in the NHL (albeit, at a more intense and skillful level), then it only makes even MORE sense for the NHL to adopt this in light of the success rate the 'A' has in this.

I hope that by next season, this will be a staple of NHL games.

 

Do it board of governors, commissioner, and anyone else in charge of making rule and format changes within the NHL.

Put aside the silly expansion ideas for at least 15 minutes, and apply these OT changes and make winners and losers in the NHL better reflect deserving teams of their points.....and while you are at it, consider a 3 pts for the winner of a regulation or OT win as well....would make a big impact in the standings (in a good way) and really reward the better in-game teams.