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

[DrAwesomeberry]

If there really was a grand conspiracy against the league's Canadian teams, Connor McDavid would not be playing in Edmonton and the Senators would not have been a goal away from advancing to the Cup Final. The NHL is much too incompetent to pull something like that off. 

[RedRenesis]

20 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

The Predators have a few dynamite players on offence, defence, and between the pipes. The Penguins, however, have so much depth on their roster, it's not even funny. Is M-A Fleury gonna be benched for the whole finals?

 

The Preds can win this, but it's going to be a hell of a battle.

 

As long as Murray can skate he'll start.  Sullivan has been partial to him since he got promoted to head coach.  

[Kramerica Industries]

22 hours ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

Pretty freaking high. The Preds (essentially a 16th seed) have proved themselves enough that a lot of people think they might make it happen, but the Pens are still the heavy favorite.

 

That just tells me they didn't particularly make a go at it in the regular season, which is understandable in some ways (they also had a pretty lousy OT record, and 3-on-3 OT is about as unpredictable as it gets and, as such, not indicative of actual on-ice performance). Nashville always had the quality to make a deep run in the playoffs as long as Rinne was healthy and performing. 

 

Come to think of it, not that I have this in digital ink anywhere so it's easy to say this now, but I think I might've had Nashville as one of the most likely teams to reach the Final from the West all the way back in October, and I pegged them to reach the Final the moment they swept Chicago out. They might be the #16 seed but they aren't, and never were, the 16th best team in the NHL this season in terms of talent and capability, and anyone who might try to argue otherwise is completely wrong. 

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

Looking at teams like Edmonton and Toronto, I legitimately see them in the finals as early as next year. These are two teams to watch next year. Throw in the Sens as a sleeper team and your ECF possibly is looking like Ottawa/Toronto.

[ninersdd]

26 minutes ago, Coast2CoastAM2006 said:

Looking at teams like Edmonton and Toronto, I legitimately see them in the finals as early as next year. These are two teams to watch next year. Throw in the Sens as a sleeper team and your ECF possibly is looking like Ottawa/Toronto.

Hell the only Canadian team whose future is bleak is Vancouver. Winnipeg could make the playoffs if they find a way to stop goals more.

[TorinK92]

For so long the Sens Achilles heel has been their defense. It's improved so much this year and together with Anderson/Condon is the reason they got this far, but it could be so much better than it still is (looking at the Ceci-Phaneuf pairing).

If Chabot steps up as a rookie and say Ceci's gone at the draft the sens could ice three fully competent and capable defensive lines with Karlsson as the cherry on top.

Many things still need to go right though for the Sens to be looking at another semifinals next year; mainly preventing losing Methot at the draft, not letting the depth walk and re-signing Chris Neil, and a bunch more luck.

[IceCap]

15 hours ago, DrAwesomeberry said:

If there really was a grand conspiracy against the league's Canadian teams, Connor McDavid would not be playing in Edmonton and the Senators would not have been a goal away from advancing to the Cup Final. The NHL is much too incompetent to pull something like that off. 

And yet the fact that McDavid landed in Edmonton, that Matthews landed in Toronto, and that Ottawa made a surprise run to the ECF probably means the NHL tried to put an anti-Canadian conspiracy in play but they just botched it entirely  

[MiK]

36 minutes ago, Ice_Cap said:

And yet the fact that McDavid landed in Edmonton, that Matthews landed in Toronto, and that Ottawa made a surprise run to the ECF probably means the NHL tried to put an anti-Canadian conspiracy in play but they just botched it entirely  

 

This is way more believable.

[Kramerica Industries]

6 hours ago, Ice_Cap said:

And yet the fact that McDavid landed in Edmonton, that Matthews landed in Toronto, and that Ottawa made a surprise run to the ECF probably means the NHL tried to put an anti-Canadian conspiracy in play but they just botched it entirely  

 

Between Kessel and Matthews, an American has been the face of Canada's flagship franchise for the better part of a decade. You can't make that crap up.

 

(And, for that matter, an American is currently the captain of the Habs. How on earth did the fanbase ever let that happen?)

[habsfan1]

14 hours ago, Kramerica Industries said:

(And, for that matter, an American is currently the captain of the Habs. How on earth did the fanbase ever let that happen?)

 

Not the fans decision. He was handpicked, in spite of not always being the most popular fan choice. I would have given it to someone else, but it has to do with his game, not his nationality.

[IceCap]

14 hours ago, Kramerica Industries said:

 

Between Kessel and Matthews, an American has been the face of Canada's flagship franchise for the better part of a decade. You can't make that crap up.

 

(And, for that matter, an American is currently the captain of the Habs. How on earth did the fanbase ever let that happen?)

I'll take a Leafs team made up of Slovenians who can't speak English if they could win a Cup.

[Cosmic]

15 hours ago, Kramerica Industries said:

 

Between Kessel and Matthews, an American has been the face of Canada's flagship franchise for the better part of a decade. You can't make that crap up.

 

(And, for that matter, an American is currently the captain of the Habs. How on earth did the fanbase ever let that happen?)

He gets an A for effort.

 

 

[sparkychewbarky]

I have to say that I'm impressed by what the Preds have done on and off the ice. The in-house atmosphere seems fantastic!

I'll have to put a trip to a Predators game on my hockey bucket list.

...Preds in 7.

[charger77]

[HedleyLamarr]

Go get you some, Nashville!

[BeerGuyJordan]

I've never been this nervous, without being shot at.

[habsfan1]

We're ready for the Finals here!! (That's not me)

 

[HedleyLamarr]

11 minutes ago, BeerGuyJordan said:

I've never been this nervous, without being shot at.

Shouldn't be.  House money at this point.

[DTConcepts]

If it wasn't official before, it is now. The Penguins have the refs in their pocket. Subban's goal was clearly onside.

 

Even if it wasn't, the play had developed far beyond the point where the play had called. The review rule is fair, but the extent to which it's used now isn't There should be a 5-10 second period after a team crosses the blue line for someone to challenge it. Beyond that is just stupid.

[BeerGuyJordan]

I hate seeing such a beautiful goal erased, like that. Oh well, go Preds!