Jump to content

(NHL Playoffs) Rite of Spring 2017: can't go on, no, I'll go on


The_Admiral

Recommended Posts

3 minutes ago, Dalcowboyfan92 said:

 

Because the NHL has a hard-on for Pittsburgh and want to make it easy AF for them to get to the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

Which is why they're facing Columbus and Washington in successive series.

 

I don't think they wanted to make it easier for Pittsburgh. I firmly believe this format was created solely to increase the likelihood of Crosby v. Ovechkin series because it had only happened once before the format change in 2014 and has now happened twice in back to back years. 

 

1 minute ago, JWhiz96 said:

:rolleyes:

 

I guess this is how Patriot fans feel.

 

says the Steelers fan...

PvO6ZWJ.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 2k
  • Created
  • Last Reply
8 minutes ago, JWhiz96 said:

:rolleyes:

 

I guess this is how Patriot fans feel.

The Patriots have defeated & lost to just about everyone, except the Giants in a SB 2x, since 2001.

Stop with the 'The NFL's a Patriots world & the rest are just screwed' nonsense.

 

Also - wrong thread.

cropped-cropped-toronto-skyline21.jpg?w=

@2001mark

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, OnWis97 said:

I kinda think they do.  Of course, the contract situation probably prevents it.  The Wild's season is annually pretty easy to predict:

  • Moments where they look like a top-tier team
  • A prolonged period of haplessness
  • Entering the playoffs as one of the few teams without even an outside chance at the Cup
  • An uninspired playoff loss (be it Round 1 or 2)

There's something not "big time" here.  They lost the battle of the winning streaks with Columbus.  They could not compete with the Blackhawks. And when they enter a playoff series against Chicago, I think everyone knows how it will end.

 

Their biggest problem (as highlighted in this series) probably is a reliable finisher or sniper.  Will that be enough to get them over the hump?  Who knows.

 

I kinda wish they could blow it up because it seems like starting over is inevitable; may as well be now.

Well I don't mean to be blunt, but you're wrong... This team is getting better and better. No this isn't just faux-Minnesota optimism... The younger core stepped up big this year. Sure we had some struggles in the playoffs, but next year, this team will be even better. We'll have Joel Erickson Ek, possibly Luke Kunin, and maybe even Krill Kaprizov. A majority of this roster is fairly young. To blow it all up and start over is ridiculous. The Wild honestly have another 10 years as legitimate cup contenders. 

 

You're right, the Wild need a great finisher. But we'll likely see that in the nest couple of years from any one of our prospects, or our young core of Zucker, Niederreiter, Coyle, and Granlund. 

 

I get that the first and second round exits suck, but this team will be going places, and for you too not see it is ridiculous... 

"And those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." Psalms 9:10

Link to comment
Share on other sites

37 minutes ago, 2001mark said:

The Patriots have defeated & lost to just about everyone, except the Giants in a SB 2x, since 2001.

Stop with the 'The NFL's a Patriots world & the rest are just screwed' nonsense.

 

Also - wrong thread.

I think you missed my point. I'm saying as a Penguins fan I know how Patriot fans feel when everyone says the league favors them and such, when really they're just better than the competition. I used them as a measuring stick for the Penguins in terms of success in their sport. I could have used the Lakers or Yankees as well.

NSFCvyu.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

48 minutes ago, chcarlson23 said:

Well I don't mean to be blunt, but you're wrong... This team is getting better and better. No this isn't just faux-Minnesota optimism... The younger core stepped up big this year. Sure we had some struggles in the playoffs, but next year, this team will be even better. We'll have Joel Erickson Ek, possibly Luke Kunin, and maybe even Krill Kaprizov. A majority of this roster is fairly young. To blow it all up and start over is ridiculous. The Wild honestly have another 10 years as legitimate cup contenders. 

 

You're right, the Wild need a great finisher. But we'll likely see that in the nest couple of years from any one of our prospects, or our young core of Zucker, Niederreiter, Coyle, and Granlund. 

 

I get that the first and second round exits suck, but this team will be going places, and for you too not see it is ridiculous... 

I'd love to be wrong about this.  And I can't pretend to know much about the young guys (except Kunin, since I follow the Badgers), so we'll see how quickly they can be contributors.  Kunin may become that sniper.

 

My concerns are more about the established players.  Ever since they sunk money into Suter and Parise, the pattern's been the same and I am starting to wonder whether this core group has to be gone before the franchise can move on.  It's not like I am an insider so the minor rumblings about "old guy vs. young guy" chemistry that I've heard about may be meaningless.  The good news is that every frustrating season includes glimpses of a team that can actually play with anyone.  I tend to doubt talent is the issue.  Can whatever intangible holding them back be corrected? I guess I don't know.

 

Again, I'd love to be wrong, but I don't see Koivu, Suter, and Parise ever playing in a conference final in Wild jerseys.  Of course a hot goalie and the randomness of hockey could prove me wrong even if nothing does really get corrected.

Disclaimer: If this comment is about an NBA uniform from 2017-2018 or later, do not constitute a lack of acknowledgement of the corporate logo to mean anything other than "the corporate logo is terrible and makes the uniform significantly worse."

 

BADGERS TWINS VIKINGS TIMBERWOLVES WILD

POTD (Shared)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, JWhiz96 said:

I think you missed my point. I'm saying as a Penguins fan I know how Patriot fans feel when everyone says the league favors them and such, when really they're just better than the competition. I used them as a measuring stick for the Penguins in terms of success in their sport. I could have used the Lakers or Yankees as well.

 

I don't think comparing our situation to the Patriots is fair. Yeah, the Pens and Pats are polarizing franchises with equally as polarizing guys leading them, but there's a decent amount of differences at play here. If you look at it, the Pens aren't even the most successful team of recent years like the Pats are, even if the Pens go all the way again this year. That belongs to Chicago in terms of NHL teams. And the Pens haven't been accused of stuff like Spygate and Deflategate and had stuff like the Tuck Rule controversy on the way to winning championships.

 

I feel like this year is a bit of an anomaly in how it turned out, although it is definitely a flawed system to begin with. Whether or not it was meant solely to manufacture Pens/Caps series I'm not sold on, but if they simply got rid of the pure bracket and reseeded each round I think it'd be a non-issue.

oBIgzrL.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, chcarlson23 said:

Well I don't mean to be blunt, but you're wrong... This team is getting better and better. No this isn't just faux-Minnesota optimism... The younger core stepped up big this year. Sure we had some struggles in the playoffs, but next year, this team will be even better. We'll have Joel Erickson Ek, possibly Luke Kunin, and maybe even Krill Kaprizov. A majority of this roster is fairly young. To blow it all up and start over is ridiculous. The Wild honestly have another 10 years as legitimate cup contenders. 

 

You're right, the Wild need a great finisher. But we'll likely see that in the nest couple of years from any one of our prospects, or our young core of Zucker, Niederreiter, Coyle, and Granlund. 

 

I get that the first and second round exits suck, but this team will be going places, and for you too not see it is ridiculous... 

 

Losing to an inferior team in 5 games is getting better and better?  LOL.

 

Classic Wild.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, CreamSoda said:

 

Losing to an inferior team in 5 games is getting better and better?  LOL.

 

Classic Wild.

Yeah these playoffs sucked, but all of these players had career regular seasons, and the Wild had a franchise REGULAR season... Crazy things happen in the playoffs. The Caps have been getting better and better over the last couple of years, but still haven't passed the 2nd round with Ovi... And this year, they struggled with a team they should have destroyed. So you're telling me the Caps aren't a good team too?

"And those who know Your Name put their trust in You, for You, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You." Psalms 9:10

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 minutes ago, chcarlson23 said:

And this year, they struggled with a team they should have destroyed. So you're telling me the Caps aren't a good team too?

The Caps struggled with a team they should have destroyed but they still came through when they had to in order to win. It's called finishing. Something the Wild just aren't great at.

 

8 minutes ago, chcarlson23 said:

The Caps have been getting better and better over the last couple of years, but still haven't passed the 2nd round with Ovi

And you know what? Everyone will be saying they're underachievers who should blow it up and start over again if they get beat by the Pens. Constantly underperform in the playoffs? Well that's the sign of a core that just can't get over the hump.

 

9 minutes ago, chcarlson23 said:

but all of these players had career regular seasons, and the Wild had a franchise REGULAR season

Welcome to the world of Bruce Boudreau. You were warned this would happen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, chcarlson23 said:

Yeah these playoffs sucked, but all of these players had career regular seasons, and the Wild had a franchise REGULAR season... Crazy things happen in the playoffs. The Caps have been getting better and better over the last couple of years, but still haven't passed the 2nd round with Ovi... And this year, they struggled with a team they should have destroyed. So you're telling me the Caps aren't a good team too?

 

The Wild have technically gotten worse and worse the last 4 years.

 

2014:  Lost in 6 games in the second round.

2015: Lost in 4 games in the second round.

2016.  Lost in 6 games in the first round.

2017.  Lost in 5 games in the first round.

 

Each year they have won fewer playoff games than the year before.  You can sugarcoat your regular season all you want, but the Wild are doing worse in the playoffs every year.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, SFGiants58 said:

"Jumbo" Joe Thornton played with a torn ACL and MCL in the playoffs.

 

On one hand, I admire his ability to power through these things. On the other, he's endangering his future health far more than any sane person should.

He's also holding the team back. Sure, Old Tyme Iced Hockey mentality and all of that, but Joe Thorton is at the age where he's kind of a lug on the ice even when he's 100%. Playing injured like that is just more dead weight the Sharks had to carry going up against a younger and faster Oilers team. Joe needs to retire. Or at the very least move on so the Sharks can try to successfully rebuild on the fly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Seadragon76 said:

So much for cancelling the apocalypse, eh Ice Cap?

 

OK, now since my usual whipping boy team (Detroit) is not in for the first time in what feels like eons, I need to hop on a bandwagon  Give me a team to hate, people. Oh, and one I can like as well.

You aren't wrong, 25 years is longer than a significant chunk of the members here have been alive or can remember hockey.

Thunder Bay Lynx - International Hockey Association (2 seasons, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2018 Xtreme Cup Champions)Houston Armadillos - Major League Hockey (2 seasons, 2016-18) | Minnesota Muskies - North American Basketball Association (1 season, 2017-2018) | Louisville Thoroughbreds - United League of Baseball (1 season, 2017, 2017 United Cup Champions) | Las Vegas Thunderbirds - International Basketball League (1 season, 2016-17, 2017 Champions) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, HedleyLamarr said:

The only team I'm really hoping wins the Cup is Washington, just because it'd be cool to see Ovechkin get the Cup.  If there's a team that's been knocking on that proverbial door the most in the last 10 years, it's been the Capitals.

While the Caps are the team I'm pulling for, in the east, and Ovechkin is, arguably, the greatest player to have never won a ring, this is a bit of an exaggeration.

 

The Caps haven't played in a Conference Final since 1998. Sure, they've made the playoffs 9 times in ten years, but it's not just one team that's been standing in their way. Five different teams have sent them packing. People act like they're so deserving, because of so many great regular seasons, followed by underwhelming playoff performances.

 

They haven't really been knocking on the door. Standing on the sidewalk, looking longingly at the door, unable to work up the testicular fortitude to get there, is more like it.

29 minutes ago, CreamSoda said:

 

The Wild have technically gotten worse and worse the last 4 years.

 

2014:  Lost in 6 games in the second round.

2015: Lost in 4 games in the second round.

2016.  Lost in 6 games in the first round.

2017.  Lost in 5 games in the first round.

 

Each year they have won fewer playoff games than the year before.  You can sugarcoat your regular season all you want, but the Wild are doing worse in the playoffs every year.  

I love it! There is really zero defense to be mounted against this.

Thunder Bay Lynx - International Hockey Association (2 seasons, 2017-18, 2019-20, 2018 Xtreme Cup Champions)Houston Armadillos - Major League Hockey (2 seasons, 2016-18) | Minnesota Muskies - North American Basketball Association (1 season, 2017-2018) | Louisville Thoroughbreds - United League of Baseball (1 season, 2017, 2017 United Cup Champions) | Las Vegas Thunderbirds - International Basketball League (1 season, 2016-17, 2017 Champions) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

 

I love it! There is really zero defense to be mounted against this.

but but but they had a good regular season...... B)

bleedblue-1.png

Bleeding Blue since 1986

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Ice_Cap said:

He's also holding the team back. Sure, Old Tyme Iced Hockey mentality and all of that, but Joe Thorton is at the age where he's kind of a lug on the ice even when he's 100%. Playing injured like that is just more dead weight the Sharks had to carry going up against a younger and faster Oilers team. Joe needs to retire. Or at the very least move on so the Sharks can try to successfully rebuild on the fly.

 

While watching the Sharks last week, I started thinking about how long Joe Thornton has been in the league.  I started seriously following the NHL in '92-'93. I've been an NHL fan for 26 years and Joe Thornton has been in the league for 21 of those 26 years. There are probably people posting in this thread that weren't even alive when Joe started his NHL career.  My point, I suppose, is that I knew Joe had been around a while, but until last week, I didn't realize just how long he's been around. Ice_Cap is probably right. It might be time for Joe to hang 'em up. 

 

BB52Big.jpg

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, infrared41 said:

 

While watching the Sharks last week, I started thinking about how long Joe Thornton has been in the league.  I started seriously following the NHL in '92-'93. I've been an NHL fan for 26 years and Joe Thornton has been in the league for 21 of those 26 years. There are probably people posting in this thread that weren't even alive when Joe started his NHL career.  My point, I suppose, is that I knew Joe had been around a while, but until last week, I didn't realize just how long he's been around. Ice_Cap is probably right. It might be time for Joe to hang 'em up. 

And Jaromir Jagr played two full seasons before you started following hockey. Unreal.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, infrared41 said:

 

While watching the Sharks last week, I started thinking about how long Joe Thornton has been in the league.  I started seriously following the NHL in '92-'93. I've been an NHL fan for 26 years and Joe Thornton has been in the league for 21 of those 26 years. There are probably people posting in this thread that weren't even alive when Joe started his NHL career.  My point, I suppose, is that I knew Joe had been around a while, but until last week, I didn't realize just how long he's been around. Ice_Cap is probably right. It might be time for Joe to hang 'em up. 

There's some players in the NHL that weren't even born when Jagr started playing - let that soak in for a minute

bleedblue-1.png

Bleeding Blue since 1986

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Ice_Cap said:

He's also holding the team back. Sure, Old Tyme Iced Hockey mentality and all of that, but Joe Thorton is at the age where he's kind of a lug on the ice even when he's 100%. Playing injured like that is just more dead weight the Sharks had to carry going up against a younger and faster Oilers team. Joe needs to retire. Or at the very least move on so the Sharks can try to successfully rebuild on the fly.

 

 

You'll get no argument from me. I've wanted a rebuild for a long time, and "Jumbo" Joe's retirement/trade to a contender plays a big part in that. He's probably headed to the Hall of Fame, and the Sharks will probably retire #19. His legacy is set, and he doesn't need to painfully drag himself through the rigors of a hockey season.

 

The same goes for Patrick Marleau and the other Sharks old-timers. It's time to spite "loyalty" and "nostalgia" by moving on, via trade and/or retirement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.