NHL 2016-17

[woodtoo]

Originally Posted by cj

Caps just keep on rolling. I can't recall a team winning by such lopsided scores so often in such a short period of time as they have lately. They have won eight games since December 31st (only 24 days!) by 3 goals or more and it is a combination of offense, defense, and goaltending. They are 12-0-1 over that span with four shutouts and three one goal allowed games.

I'll add the schedule this year is ridiculous. I assume it is because of the world cup, but my gosh. They play pretty much every other night with a few back to backs thrown in. That has to be tough on the body.

I think every team goes thru a tough sked. at some time this year.
Luckily Winnipeg had theirs early.
Tough loss to Anaheim last night but spirited.
Expect to see Laine back against the Sharks tonite, Paveluck been playing good since his recall. Wish we would go on a streak like the Caps it sure gets the fans going.

[HoofedInTheChest]

I could cry, this is what $6.25 million a season gets you.

[cj]

Originally Posted by woodtoo

I think every team goes thru a tough sked. at some time this year.
Luckily Winnipeg had theirs early.
Tough loss to Anaheim last night but spirited.
Expect to see Laine back against the Sharks tonite, Paveluck been playing good since his recall. Wish we would go on a streak like the Caps it sure gets the fans going.

Agree, I wasn't trying to say it was just the Caps, I meant the NHL schedule in general. In the NBA you can usually pencil in some games we call fans call "schedule losses", almost like the opponent doesn't even matter. The Caps had one last night IMO.

[HoofedInTheChest]

Originally Posted by cj

Agree, I wasn't trying to say it was just the Caps, I meant the NHL schedule in general. In the NBA you can usually pencil in some games we call fans call "schedule losses", almost like the opponent doesn't even matter. The Caps had one last night IMO.

I don’t know what the NHL was thinking when they implemented a “bye week”, all it really does is compress the schedule even more. Those 5 recovery days would be a lot more useful scattered throughout the season, especially near the end. And why did so many teams get a bye week so early in the season? No one is fatigued in January, especially right after the Christmas break and just before the All-Star break, it’s ridiculous. Those days off would have been much better served in late February or March.

The impressive part about the Caps run is that they are doing all of this while playing in the toughest division in the NHL. At this point in time, it appears as though the Cup contenders are all in the Metro division, the Caps and Pens are the consensus favorites among NHL coach’s, mind you we should show some love to Minnesota as well.

This leads me to the other problem in the NHL, the playoff format. The way it stands now, there is a chance that the Caps and Pens could face each other in the first round if Columbus takes over top spot in the Metro. Even if they don’t, the Caps will face the Pens in the second round, what a pile of horsesh*t.

I wish they would go to the format of 1vs16, 2vs15, and so on, and as every round progresses, your opponent becomes a little more difficult. I understand that travel comes into play in this kind of scenario, but they way it stands now, you could have your best possible match-ups early on in the playoffs, which leads to an anticlimactic finish. Playing your way out of your own division is just plain dumb, what happens when your division is loaded with Cup contenders? Three of the top four teams in the league all come from the Metro.

[MutuelClerk]

I believe the players wanted the bye week. It was part of the deal for playing in the World Cup. I think the Leafs-Wings game was one of those " schedule losses " for the Wings. That game was slow, tons of whistles. Hoping the Leafs show up tonight against the Flyers. Three games in four nights. Pretty good first half of the season for the boys in blue and white.

[HoofedInTheChest]

Originally Posted by MutuelClerk

I believe the players wanted the bye week. It was part of the deal for playing in the World Cup.

The players were offered the bye week as a concession for the condensed schedule, which they stupidly agreed to. The PA had dollar signs running through their heads at the time, seeing that the money from the World Cup was going to be split 50/50 between the NHL and the PA. What the players were not aware of at the time was the fact that the players playing in the tournament had a vote, and decided to keep the bulk of the profits for themselves. In the end, non tournament players only received $11K from the World Cup. These same players are not very happy these days about playing in a super condensed schedule for an extra $11K, i wouldn’t be very happy either. That’s what you get for signing off on a tournament without knowing what the actual figures are coming back in return, as usual, the players got rinsed.

The guys in the NHL head office must have been laughing to themselves, "we will offer them a bye week, and they will probably be too stupid to realize that it will make the schedule even worse."

[HoofedInTheChest]

Originally Posted by cj

Imagine the numbers if Sid was feeding Ovi!

You may get your wish today.

[cj]

Originally Posted by HoofedInTheChest

You may get your wish today.

Here it comes!

[MutuelClerk]

I'll start watching Tuesday. I'm sure the show is great. Hope Auston holds his own. I just don't enjoy three on three with no defense. Yeah, stay off my lawn....

[Greyfox]

In his column today, hockey writer Mike Zeisberger said:

"If you didn't enjoy this weekend, you don't like hockey."

I take it that Zeisberger and a few of his sports writer cronies had a great time sopping up the suds and atmosphere in Los Angeles.
Undoubtedly the players did too.

But what about the fans?
Personally, I found the "Skills Competitions" on Saturday, and the games on Sunday, a boring total waste of time.

As far as I'm concerned, they should do away with the All-Star Game.

[HoofedInTheChest]

Originally Posted by Greyfox

In his column today, hockey writer Mike Zeisberger said:

"If you didn't enjoy this weekend, you don't like hockey."

I would make one edit to his remark...

"If you didn't enjoy this weekend, you don't like shinny."

[HoofedInTheChest]

35 games in 69 days, it’s time to put your big boy pants on!

Rielly is a GTD for tonight's tilt against Dallas.

[MutuelClerk]

That scares me. Not enough rest. Not enough practice. At least it's a level playing field. I wouldn't rush Rielly back. He's our best defenseman although Jake has played pretty well this season. Zaitsev has been solid too. After that were kind of weak. I believe Carrick can develop. Learning on the job is hard. You get exposed in this league. Pretty much every other night now. Like the playoffs. Quite a grind for the players. Teams with depth in their organization will be rewarded. That will be the Leafs in 2-3 years. Not now.

[Greyfox]

New York Islanders likely leaving Brooklyn.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/r...rclays-center/

[HoofedInTheChest]

Originally Posted by Greyfox

New York Islanders likely leaving Brooklyn.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/r...rclays-center/

The Hartford Islanders has a nice ring to it, where else can they play?

I have a feeling that something else will be leaving Brooklyn...