Rite of Spring 2018-“What happens in the playoffs stays in the playoffs”

[Dalcowboyfan92]

1 minute ago, the admiral said:

George McPhee, who traded Filip Forsberg for Martin Erat and wasted years of Ovechkin's career with terrible coaching from Dale Hunter and Adam Oates, does not become a good GM because the Florida Panthers give everyone who works there brain lesions.

 

So; this is all Florida's fault. Marchessault is a great player (while he might not be a "franchise player"), I think could've been the face of the Panthers.

 

And a player Florida could've built their team around.

 

But, this is what happens when you get a hard-on for analytics.

[The_Admiral]

I always thought Marchessault topped out at "guy you love to have on your third line when your top two lines kick ass," like Joel Armia, or Kris Versteeg without his skull periodically opening up and his brain tumbling out. I wouldn't have guessed he would have had the season he had, but I also wouldn't have actively given him away for nothing in return.

 

What the Panthers actually did was worse, which was obsess over analytics to the exclusion of anything else, fail miserably, then overcorrect by going anti-analytics, which made them lose Marchessault and Smith while retaining Derek MacKenzie and Mark Pysyk. 

[IceCap]

6 hours ago, sparky chewbarky said:

In 1999, the Atlanta Thrashers paid about $80 million for an expansion team (I think...correct me if I'm wrong). In their first year, they finished last in their division, never got a off to a good start and some years later were off to Winnipeg... 17 years later,

Yes they were! Why am I focusing on this? Well...

 

6 hours ago, sparky chewbarky said:

As far as being "mean-spirited" I can't believe the hate that was heaped on the VGK franchise, the city and its fans in general. I kinda felt for the fellow board members like Lee Noire that live in Vegas.

...come on. Admiral made his distaste for LV as a place known, but so what? Everyone else, myself included, were clearly talking about the team and not the city. 

 

Now back to why I lead with Atlanta to Winnipeg. 

Two reasons. The first is that TNSE inherited a poorly run Thrashers team and, over seven years, made a Stanley Cup contender out of the Jets 2.0. They had to build off of next to nothing. 

The Knights were gifted a contender right out of the gate to stack the deck in their favour because the NHL didn’t want to be embarrassed by a second desert-bound team going up (see the Coyotes). 

 

So as a hockey fan, what impressed me more? What means more? The Jets building up a team from the crapsack they got from Atlanta impresses me. 

The Knights being given a gun to every other GM’s head to build their roster, however, does not. 

 

I mean for G-d’s sake. How many awful Leafs teams have we sat through? How nice would it have been to just say “screw it,” dump everyone, and rebuild using the Vegas draft terms? 

 

Second point on the Winnipeg thing. Why don’t you go back in this this thread and check out the mean spirited bs posted immediately after the Jets were eliminated. 

I’m sorry, but “  you Canada, go Knights so I can feed on everyone’s tears!” is far more mean spirited than people rightfully pointing out how much of a leg up Vegas had in assembling their innagural roster. 

 

And yeah. I like bringing it up now, because the Knights got bounced in five and everyone “feeding on the tears” of people annoyed at the Knights are quiet. 

Be able to take it if you’re going to give it is all I’m saying. 

[goalieboy82]

2 hours ago, Ice_Cap said:

Yes they were! Why am I focusing on this? Well...

 

...come on. Admiral made his distaste for LV as a place known, but so what? Everyone else, myself included, were clearly talking about the team and not the city. 

 

Now back to why I lead with Atlanta to Winnipeg. 

Two reasons. The first is that TNSE inherited a poorly run Thrashers team and, over seven years, made a Stanley Cup contender out of the Jets 2.0. They had to build off of next to nothing. 

The Knights were gifted a contender right out of the gate to stack the deck in their favour because the NHL didn’t want to be embarrassed by a second desert-bound team going up (see the Coyotes). 

 

So as a hockey fan, what impressed me more? What means more? The Jets building up a team from the crapsack they got from Atlanta impresses me. 

The Knights being given a gun to every other GM’s head to build their roster, however, does not. 

 

I mean for G-d’s sake. How many awful Leafs teams have we sat through? How nice would it have been to just say “screw it,” dump everyone, and rebuild using the Vegas draft terms? 

 

Second point on the Winnipeg thing. Why don’t you go back in this this thread and check out the mean spirited bs posted immediately after the Jets were eliminated. 

I’m sorry, but “  you Canada, go Knights so I can feed on everyone’s tears!” is far more mean spirited than people rightfully pointing out how much of a leg up Vegas had in assembling their innagural roster. 

 

And yeah. I like bringing it up now, because the Knights got bounced in five and everyone “feeding on the tears” of people annoyed at the Knights are quiet. 

Be able to take it if you’re going to give it is all I’m saying. 

a Canadian team winning the Stanley Cup, never will happen under my watch:

[verno]

On 4/8/2018 at 2:43 AM, the admiral said:

Guide to the Stanley Cup From a Person Whose Team Unraveled Like a Cheap Sweater Because Only Corey Crawford Could Stop Pucks

 

1C - Nashville Predators
WHAT'S TO LOVE: predsgirl92
WHAT'S TO HATE: literally everything else imaginable about this insufferable, miles-up-its-own-ass franchise

2WC - Colorado Avalanche

WHAT'S TO LOVE: huge bounceback season, MVP year from Nathan MacKinnon, they put the finishing touch on St. Louis's hilarious swoon, mountain sweaters are back

WHAT'S TO HATE: their snowball's chance in hell against the loathsome Perds

 

2C - Winnipeg Jets
WHAT'S TO LOVE: career years from Laine/Wheeler/Scheifele/Ehlers, the Weakerthans, THE WHITEOUT!, small-town charm, Winnipeg's hockeyest self-loathing in hockey
WHAT'S TO HATE: you'll have to ask a warm-weather NHL fan because God knows they'll tell you

 

3C - Minnesota Wild
WHAT'S TO LOVE: Minnesotans, the increased prominence of Scenery Bear
WHAT'S TO HATE: Bruce Boudreau's bad coaching, the feeling that this perpetual first-round out is just taking up space, the name "Wild"

 

1P - Vegas Golden Knights
WHAT'S TO LOVE: a heartwarming underdog story if you're an idiot
WHAT'S TO HATE: the bend-the-league-over-a-barrel expansion draft, a general manager who punched a Blackhawks coach in the face because of a bad call in a preseason game, James Neal, David Perron, their wretched 100-degree low-culture hellworld city, Quebec City's "deferral," Vegas flu, unsustainable shooting metrics, the utter illegitimacy that their meteoric rise confers on the National Hockey League and perhaps even ice hockey as an entire sport

1WC - Los Angeles Kings
WHAT'S TO LOVE: saying "allegedviolentrapistDrewDoughty" like Vince McMahon saying "allegedrealworld'schampionRicFlair" at Royal Rumble '92
WHAT'S TO HATE: Dustin Brown, success without catatonic weirdo Darryl Sutter
 

2P - San Jose Sharks
WHAT'S TO LOVE: beards, Tomas Hertl, the NHL's Best Fans, the way they ripped on Winnipeg
WHAT'S TO HATE: all those weird names their players have, the way they ripped on Winnipeg

3P - Anaheim Ducks
WHAT'S TO LOVE: I dunno maybe they drafted the greatest goalie of all time for the fifth time or something 
WHAT'S TO HATE: Ryan Kesler, Ryan Getzlaf, Kevin Bieksa, Corey Perry, the phenomenon wherein you list odious players and Corey Perry ranks fourth

 

---

 

1M - Washington Capitals
WHAT'S TO LOVE: the irony of Washington's team being led by EEEEEEEEVIL RUSSIANS!!!!
WHAT'S TO HATE: Barry Trotz's lack of neck, the unimaginable evil most certainly perpetrated by DoD contractors in Northern Virginia

 

1WC - Columbus Blue Jackets 
WHAT'S TO LOVE: BobroCop, Seth Jones, Artemi Panarin
WHAT'S TO HATE: that dang cannon, whatever John Tortorella did to break Brandon Saad's brain

 

2M: Pittsburgh Penguins
WHAT'S TO LOVE: Crosby, Malkin, Kessel, Mike Lange, the Skating Penguin, a cool city
WHAT'S TO HATE: how obnoxious it would be if they three-peated and how it would further diminish the Blackhawks' achievements
 

3M: Philadelphia Flyers
WHAT'S TO LOVE: Claude Giroux, Shayne Gostisbehere, Travis Konecny, Flyers fans, the hope that this will distract Philly from the 76ers
WHAT'S TO HATE: nothin' really

 

1A/2A: Boston Bruins
WHAT'S TO LOVE: Patrice Bergeron, Zdeno Chara, Jack Edwards, predicting which elite player they'll trade for an Ogie Oglethorpe this summer
WHAT'S TO HATE: Brad MAW-SHAN, his limbs, his stick, his face

 

1A/2A: Tampa Bay Lightning
WHAT'S TO LOVE: skilled hockey with a loaded lineup
WHAT'S TO HATE: that they seem to play the NHL like a video game and get whoever they want, Stamkos's rodential face
 

3A: Toronto Maple Leafs

WHAT'S TO LOVE: the M&M boys, Toronto's long-overdue and VERY IMPORTANT resurgence

WHAT'S TO HATE: Uncle Fester-looking Lamoriello washed up here, Mike Babcock running so much interference you can't call all of it

2WC - New Jersey Devils
WHAT'S TO LOVE: a Devils team without Fatso or Lou Lamoriello, Chico Resch
WHAT'S TO HATE: horsemouthed bitch Taylor Hall ranting to anyone who'll listen about how awful the Oilers are
 

I'm bumping this topic. As of June 10, 2018, we already know the Caps have hoisted the Cup. But adimiral's point on 2WC is why at 44 years old l am still eternally disappointed with my Blues!!! We get so close........damn!!!!

[The_Admiral]

I stand by my assessment of Taylor Hall as horsemouthed bitch.

[Crabcake]

On 4/7/2018 at 11:16 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Jackets in 7 

 

On 4/8/2018 at 4:18 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Did you guys know that the word “April” has a root word meaning “pain for Capitals fans”?

 

On 4/9/2018 at 11:10 AM, Crabcake47 said:

Preds in 4

Jets in 7

Golden Knights in 7

Sharks in 6

 

Lightning in 6

Maple Leafs in 7 (upset pick)

Jackets in 7 (oof)

Penguins in 5 (ugh)

 

On 4/12/2018 at 10:40 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Really really bad decision by Burakovsky to gift Lumbus the PP that leads to OT, which yields the Panarin OTGWG. 

 

Jeremy Roenick said it’s bad mistakes like this which is why the Caps haven’t gotten to the second round in 20 years. I’d love to disagree with him, but I can’t. 

 

On 4/15/2018 at 9:46 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Two boneheaded penalties gifts the Jackets a 4-3 lead after 2. Very well could be all she wrote for Game 2, Caps have looked meh after a great start. 

 

I mean if we were gonna get eliminated anyway (we were/are), I’d rather lose to ‘Lumbus than to Pittsburgh. 

 

On 4/15/2018 at 11:08 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Gg @McCarthy, ain’t no way my boys are coming back from an L like that. Rather lose to you lot than Pittsburgh. 

 

Why is is it that goalies always go mental on the Caps in the 1st round? Neuvirth in 2016, Freddy Anderson last year, and now Bobrovsky makes like 60 saves. 

 

On 4/15/2018 at 11:14 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Legitimately, seriously not considering watching Game 3. I love playoff hockey, but I mean this is just too much. Why waste 3 hours of my evening. 

 

On 4/15/2018 at 11:20 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Crabcake’s 3-point, infallible, 100% plausible plan to fix the Capitals:

 

1. Move the team to Seattle. 

2. Get an expansion franchise and succeed a la Vegas. 

3. Raise the Cup.

 

On 4/18/2018 at 9:20 AM, Crabcake47 said:

I'm not really hopeful that we'll win the series; I've almost come to accept the first round elimination and have begun to prefer it over a second round elimination to Pittsburgh.  I'm more just relieved that we won't be swept in OT in all four games, because at this point there's nothing to suggest that every game won't go to OT.

 

On 4/20/2018 at 9:52 AM, Crabcake47 said:

This postseason is a complete lose-lose for Caps fans.  Either we lose in the first round after already taking the lead in every one of the games in the series so far, or we somehow show some resiliency and some fight and some mental fortitude to overcome Games 1 & 2 only to run into the Caps-postseason buzzsaw that is the Pittsburgh Penguins in Round 2.

Because I have nothing better to do with my time, I've decided to go back and showcase all of my "depressed pessimistic Caps fan" posts to see how poorly they've aged.  Bit of catharsis if you will.  Here is Part 1.

[Crabcake]

On 4/24/2018 at 10:39 AM, Crabcake47 said:

Unfortunately, you've hit the nail on the head.  This Caps team is worse than last year's imo, especially in defense.  The Caps can't count on their PK completely shutting down the Penguins' power play to nullify all the dumb penalties they took in the series.  I can't see this series going 7.

 

On 4/26/2018 at 7:02 AM, Crabcake47 said:

Predators in 7 (Jets will be the better team and jump out to a lead and then choke it away) 

Golden Knights in 6 (to the ire of basically everyone here) 

 

Lightning in 7 (no confidence with the way Rask played in that series)

Penguins in 6 (inevitable.)

 

On 4/26/2018 at 9:10 PM, Crabcake47 said:

2-2. This feels very familiar. 

 

On 4/26/2018 at 9:15 PM, Crabcake47 said:

 

On 4/26/2018 at 9:23 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Can we get a “sinking depression following the realization that you are a Caps fan” entry next year for the GTOV?

 

On 4/26/2018 at 9:39 PM, Crabcake47 said:

When the game tying goal is being blocked with the inside of Matt Murray’s blocker, it’s hopeless. 

 

On 4/26/2018 at 9:44 PM, Crabcake47 said:

I truly believe that it would take Crosby or Sullivan or some other major Penguins leader to come out with bulletin board material the level of “it doesn’t matter what we do or how poorly we play, we’ll always beat them because they’re the Caps and they can’t do crap against us” for Washington to go super saiyan enough to win the series. And even then Crosby would net a Game 7 PP GWG in OT because Tom Wilson punched Matt Murray in the head while 3 officials were looking straight at him. 

 

On 4/26/2018 at 9:51 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Should we just rename this thread to “watch as Crabcake slowly descends into madness”

 

On 4/26/2018 at 10:01 PM, Crabcake47 said:

The worst part is that I haven’t become numb to it yet. 

 

On 4/26/2018 at 10:35 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Washington has a mental block about Pittsburgh in the playoffs like I’ve never seen any team have before. I saw something on twitter that said that this collapse feels like two games in one. That’s pretty accurate unfortunately. 

 

On 4/27/2018 at 8:40 AM, Crabcake47 said:

The Golden Knights are going to win more second round series than Alex Ovechkin. 

 

Is is there room for one more on the Vegas hate bandwagon?

 

On 4/29/2018 at 8:21 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Caps actually don't blow a two goal lead, tie up series 1-1. 

 

This means absolutely nothing. 

 

On 5/2/2018 at 7:02 AM, Crabcake47 said:

I could not have put it better myself. Until they beat the Penguins two more times, all these leads and good performances mean absolutely nothing. 

 

On 5/2/2018 at 8:59 AM, Crabcake47 said:

I have this really sickening feeling that the Caps are going to win Thursday, go up 3-1, and blow it in 7, meaning that if they would have prevented the five minute meltdown of Game 1, they would have wrapped up the series already. 

 

On 5/4/2018 at 10:22 AM, Crabcake47 said:

Caps-Pens is now a best of 3.

 

This series is just barreling towards another Game 7 victory for Pittsburgh, isn't it?

 

On 5/5/2018 at 7:36 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Welcome back, playoff Caps. You were not missed. 

 

On 5/5/2018 at 10:10 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Well, not gonna lie I wasn’t expecting that response. Thought we would have rolled over and thrown in the towel at 3-2, but a good response. 

 

This means absolutely nothing yet. 

 

On 5/6/2018 at 2:41 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Guys, I’ve seen the script for the rest of the series. It’s not pretty. 

 

Penguins jump out to a 2-0 lead after 1, Caps come back and score 2 in the second and another in the third to take a 3-2 lead. The Penguins then tie the game with 1:25 remaining on a deflection with the net empty, win the game on a PPG in OT off of a Crosby dive, then win Game 7 1-0. 

 

On 5/7/2018 at 6:42 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Until we are shown otherwise, pessimism is encouraged in the land of Capitals fandom. 

 

On 5/7/2018 at 8:41 PM, Crabcake47 said:

This game has a feeling of such inevitability to it. 

 

On 5/7/2018 at 8:55 PM, Crabcake47 said:

This already feels so like Game 7. If the Caps lose this one, it’ll be backbreaking considering how many chances they had at a second in, uh, the second. 

Here is Part 2, aka the Penguins series.  Unsurprisingly, there are nearly twice the amount of depressed, pessimistic posts against them as in the first round.  

[Crabcake]

On 5/8/2018 at 10:40 AM, Crabcake47 said:

I'm very concerned about playing Tampa for a number of reasons.  Getting Wilson and (hopefully) Backstrom back helps, but Tampa's top-to-bottom depth for both forwards and defensemen easily is better than the Caps'.  They've got several lines that can score on you and a good goalie.  And they just dispatched a Cup favorite heading into the postseason in 5 games.  And let's not forget, the Caps still have to do more to shed that "choker" label for good, namely winning about 8 more games.

 

On 5/11/2018 at 2:33 PM, Crabcake47 said:

The Caps are mega-underdogs in this series. That will play into their favor. This is a team led by a coach who both have a huge chip on their shoulders, just slayed their Penguin-looking dragon, and have nobody believing in them. 

 

That said, Lightning in 6. 

 

On 5/11/2018 at 8:35 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Kempny with the goal! Caps look good to start. 

 

EDIT: What a turn of events to end the first! Good thing the Caps haven't blown a Game 1 2-0 lead in this postseason!

 

On 5/11/2018 at 10:48 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Even at 4-0 this team makes me sweat. Caps lost Game 1 in each of their last two series, though, and Tampa rebounded perfectly after losing Game 1 last series, which worries me. But still a great, complete performance. 

 

Still means nothing yet. 

 

On 5/13/2018 at 10:58 PM, Crabcake47 said:

DONT SAY THINGS LIKE THAT <-- When someone said something positive about the Caps

 

On 5/14/2018 at 10:40 AM, Crabcake47 said:

It's not all Vasilevskiy's fault but Holtby is far outplaying him.

 

That being said, I fully expect Tampa to come out firing in Game 3.  I'm pretty sure they're going to take at least one game in D.C.  Wouldn't be shocked if we go back to Tampa 2-2.

 

On 5/15/2018 at 9:21 PM, Crabcake47 said:

As soon as there’s an ounce of pressure on the Caps, they shrink back. This one’s probably lost already. 

 

On 5/16/2018 at 7:15 AM, Crabcake47 said:

Last night was my worst fears about this series coming true. 

-Vasilveskiy regains his confidences and has a good game. 

-Caps continually gift Tampa PP chances, leading to goals

-Caps' own PP goes cold without Backstrom

-Tampa looks dangerous at ES

-Holtby gets outplayed for the first time this series

 

Hopefully they can pull it together and regain their previous form in Game 4. 

 

On 5/17/2018 at 11:13 PM, Crabcake47 said:

That sucked. 

 

By every measurable statistic, the Caps dominated that game start to finish. But 0/4 on the PP is inexcusable and they had so many freaking chances. 

 

Tampa’s winning this in 6 and somehow it’s going to hurt more than all the other ones to come before this. 

 

On 5/17/2018 at 11:17 PM, Crabcake47 said:

It’s so obvious too what the Caps have to do - fix the special teams. I thought for sure Backstrom coming back would give at least one PPG but alas. A dumb Lars Eller penalty once again leads directly to a Tampa goal as well. 

 

This one’s a back breaker imo. No way I can see the Caps having any sort of confidence or momentum after that. 

 

On 5/19/2018 at 7:47 PM, Crabcake47 said:

This series was over the second Killorn scored on Thursday night. Tampa’s taking this in 6 and it’s so obvious to see. 

 

Somehow they all hurt more than the last one. 

 

On 5/19/2018 at 8:26 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Oh yeah. This series is well and truly over. 

 

On 5/19/2018 at 9:03 PM, Crabcake47 said:

I really hope Tampa just wins Game 6 and ends the Caps’ misery. But because this franchise seems to want to deliver the maximum pain possible to its fanbase, they’ll take Game 6 convincingly to give us hope and then piss away Game 7 like they always do. 

 

On 5/21/2018 at 8:04 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Hey guys! Keep talking about how much you hate Vegas, as much as you want! Let it all out! Don't hold anything back! Talk for as long and as meanly about them as you need to because maybe then you'll forget how bad we're about to choke away this series

 

On 5/23/2018 at 10:30 AM, Crabcake47 said:

Tonight’s gonna be torture. I wonder what new ways the Caps will come up with to twist the knife on this fanbase. 

 

On 5/23/2018 at 8:08 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Also tonight is why I want next year’s thread to be called “watch as Crabcake slowly loses his sanity” or something like that. I’m basically gonna be live tweeting my mental and emotional demise. 

Here's part 3, aka the Tampa series.  The posts start off as pessimism without the Penguins-driven depression, then the depression slowly is added in until reaching its peak after game 5.  Also, a preview of Part 4! 

 

On 5/23/2018 at 8:07 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Tonight is a coronation, no matter what happens. Tonight is the coronation of the Vegas Golden Knights as your next NHL champions. 

[Crabcake]

On 5/23/2018 at 11:24 PM, Crabcake47 said:

I beg to differ. First of all, as mentioned before, this ain’t your daddy’s expansion team. Vegas is a different beast - great coach, great keeper, super deep. 

 

On 5/28/2018 at 7:47 PM, Crabcake47 said:

I get a chance to watch my team compete for a Stanley Cup. I feel very fortunate, nervous, and glad for Ovechkin that he’s silenced a lot of his doubters with what will surely be a Conn Smythe postseason if the Caps win. 

 

That being said, I’m keeping my expectations low. The Caps got swept the last time they were here; just win a game, boys. At least let us have that. 

 

I fully predict that Fleury will be too much for the Caps to handle and that Vegas will win every game 1-0. 

 

In all seriousness, I think Vegas in 6. MAF is looking ridiculous now and Vegas has a lot of belief in them. Despite all the arguments for the “rigged” expansion draft Gallant has them playing above the sum of their parts. 

 

On 5/28/2018 at 10:13 PM, Crabcake47 said:

We got ourselves a hockey game here folks. As is the case with most ties, there are pros and cons to the Caps’ performance. 

 

Pros

-Backstrom’s line has been fantastic 

-not going away quietly, fought back from two deficits to tie

-have managed to beat Fleury three times

 

Cons

-0/1 on the PP

-Kuznetsov’s line is being absolutely shackled by Schmidt/McNabb <-- this wasn't pessimistic at all, just quoted for the sake of how poorly it aged...

-lots of opportunities for Vegas

-Vegas’ fourth line looks really dangerous

 

On 5/28/2018 at 10:57 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Whoever wins this game takes the series. This game is going to be a gut punch to whoever loses (probably the Caps)

 

On 5/28/2018 at 11:07 PM, Crabcake47 said:

What a game of hockey. Crazy stuff. All three 3rd period goals from Vegas came from that fourth line. 

 

This team is so freaking stacked. At this point I’ll be happy if the Caps steal a game. 

 

On 5/28/2018 at 11:36 PM, Crabcake47 said:

I really hope the Caps can find a way to pull this off, somehow. Because if they don’t, I won’t be able to watch any of the 30 for 30s/documentaries/movies produced about this Vegas team because it’ll just remind me of the pain. 

 

On 5/30/2018 at 10:09 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Such a dumb penalty by Oshie. Yeah the refs missed the call on Miller but you gotta have better awareness than that. Vegas has all the momentum now and will probably steal this one 4-3. 

 

On 6/4/2018 at 8:32 PM, Crabcake47 said:

Not a good start for Washington so far. Vegas is playing their game and playing it well. Two posts so far for them. James Neal with the miss of the series so far for one of them. 

And finally, part 4.  By this point most of the demons had been exorcised and I actually believed in the Caps, even if I didn't want to admit that to myself for fear of it coming back to haunt me.  But there were still some solid "Crabcake moments" during the Cup final.

[FiddySicks]

PotD? That was legitimately fun. 

[The Six]

It's funny, but this year is probably the first time that the postseason has actually lived up to its title of The Rite of Spring. If you don't know, Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring was so dissonant, unconventional, and avant-garde that it caused a riot during its premiere in Paris. There was booing, hissing, the throwing of  objects on stage, and the police were called. The delicate sensibilities of the audience could not handle it, and it's likely that Russians were involved in the staging perhaps intensified things. By the time the performance was finished, those who appreciated the work were cheering louder than usual to try to drown out the detractors. 

 

Compare that to this year's NHL playoffs, where an expansion team dared to be good, and darling teams like the Jets were eliminated with little fanfare or suspense. It's the perfect formula for the beau monde elite fans to cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about "What's to be done with this NHL"?  The ones who appreciated good hockey just watched and enjoyed it, while the detractors worked themselves up in a frenzy, never allowing themselves the pleasure to be entertained by the masterpiece that was right in front of them. Just like in Paris 100 years ago.

[sparkychewbarky]

4 hours ago, The Six said:

It's funny, but this year is probably the first time that the postseason has actually lived up to its title of The Rite of Spring. If you don't know, Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring was so dissonant, unconventional, and avant-garde that it caused a riot during its premiere in Paris. There was booing, hissing, the throwing of  objects on stage, and the police were called. The delicate sensibilities of the audience could not handle it, and it's likely that Russians were involved in the staging perhaps intensified things. By the time the performance was finished, those who appreciated the work were cheering louder than usual to try to drown out the detractors. 

 

Compare that to this year's NHL playoffs, where an expansion team dared to be good, and darling teams like the Jets were eliminated with little fanfare or suspense. It's the perfect formula for the beau monde elite fans to cluck their tongues, stroke their beards, and talk about "What's to be done with this NHL"?  The ones who appreciated good hockey just watched and enjoyed it, while the detractors worked themselves up in a frenzy, never allowing themselves the pleasure to be entertained by the masterpiece that was right in front of them. Just like in Paris 100 years ago.

 

Wow...excellent post Six...a little masterpiece on its own. 

[Sport]

On 6/9/2018 at 8:59 PM, BringBackTheVet said:

I've been thinking a lot about this - why do new teams need to be crap and pay dues for n# of years until it's OK for them to be good?

 

I used to think like that, but looking at it now through different eyes, wouldn't you want a new team in a new market to be competitive right away?  Obviously an expansion team winning a title is absurd and would delegitimize the whole thing, but having them be watchable and competitive enough to develop a good local following right away could only be a good thing, no?

 

Ideally, wouldn't a 6 or 7 seed be a good spot for a new NHL or NBA team?  Maybe .500 for an NFL or MLB team?

 

Teams being good right out of the gate is definitely better for business than openly taking dumps on new fans in new markets. The Atlanta Thrashers certainly weren't helped by being :censored:ty for all but one of their seasons in Atlanta (which ended in a first round sweep), but building a team capable of winning the championship in the first year is an over-correction and makes the league look like they don't know what they're doing and it kind of makes the sport look like team-building is voodoo and winning is an accident. 

 

On 6/10/2018 at 7:17 AM, sparky chewbarky said:

 

In 1999, the Atlanta Thrashers paid about $80 million for an expansion team (I think...correct me if I'm wrong). In their first year, they finished last in their division, never got a off to a good start and some years later were off to Winnipeg... 17 years later, Foley pays $500 million for a franchise. Whether or not you think that a franchise should have gone to Las Vegas,

I think that most people were okay with expansion parameters that would be a bit more generous...

 

On 6/10/2018 at 7:17 AM, sparky chewbarky said:

But what would be the ideal equation? I think that the biggest change in the expansion draft from '99 to'17 was that each team protected 2 less players (again please correct me if I'm wrong). In hindsight, should that maybe have been 1 less player? How could you know what numbers would be the right numbers? You and I know that there are many GMs in this league that would have taken the same opportunity that McPhee had...and would have botched it completely. Then, the VGK's would have finished out of the play-offs and then, those same parameters would have been okay, right?...

 

The only parameters I would've accepted were the same ones the Columbus Blue Jackets and expansion brothers got. I think as soon as they were released and they were easier (without even mentioning that this is the first expansion team in the salary cap era) then it became an issue of competitive integrity. I know why they got a better deal, but I don't have to like it. 

 

 

On 6/10/2018 at 7:17 AM, sparky chewbarky said:

Yes, McPhee was given a better leg-up than his predecessors had, but jeez, give him some credit...he rode that pony like a boss. That was some masterful horse-trading there! The Fleury thing was just pure luck. Re: the goalie part of the equation, McPhee was working with the same guidelines as those before him. (I think that Fleury was considered past his prime). Even with McPhee's masterful job, how could he have projected that Fleury would have one of his best years ever, or that several players would elevate their games to the best they ever had or probably ever will. They hired the right coach, implementing the right system, which the players executed. Throw in a lot of puck-luck (how many times through the playoffs did we see Fleury "patting the post"?), and some fortunate timing...(had Hellebuyck been on his A-game in the Vegas series, it would have been Washington-Winnipeg). The whole Vegas success was lightning-in-a-bottle... At a time when the city needed something positive, I find it almost unbelievable that "that something" was given to them by ...a hockey team??...That's great for the fans in Las Vegas, and for the NHL.

 

McPhee was either told which players to take thanks to trade deals or given a no-brainer player like Fluery or Neal and Gerard Gallant was the best available coach at the time. I'm not ready to give him that much credit for the roster. 

 

My entire issue with the Golden Knights stems from the fact that compared to all of their opponents they were built differently and had they won the cup it would always have felt inauthentic to me, like it was purchased. I'm glad we don't have to wrestle with that for the rest of time. 

 

On 6/10/2018 at 7:17 AM, sparky chewbarky said:

As far as being "mean-spirited" I can't believe the hate that was heaped on the VGK franchise, the city and its fans in general. I kinda felt for the fellow board members like Lee Noire that live in Vegas.

 

I thought it was no more mean-spirited than what any other fanbase deals with. You don't get to go to the finals in your first year AND not hear it from other fans.

 

 

On 6/10/2018 at 7:17 AM, sparky chewbarky said:

I got somewhat involved in the Las Vegas process...I made up the T-shirts for these guys in Las Vegas on their "team-announcement-night"...

 

...pretty regular folks, with pretty regular jobs, life, etc., that are ecstatic about finally getting a team of their own. I'm happy for them.

 

Good for them. Congratulations on having a real major league team and a good one at that. My issue with the team had nothing to do with the city of Las Vegas. I can't repeat that enough.

 

I hope their fans stick around when times aren't so good, which is 90% of your life as a hockey fan. 

 

On 6/10/2018 at 7:17 AM, sparky chewbarky said:

Off the ice...yeah, the opening schtick before the games was a little cheesy...but so what. If it works for them..great.

I probably have more reason to dislike Foley as anyone...but I have to give credit where it's due...After the botched name reveal, they seemed to do everything right...the opening night tribute to the victims and responders of the shooting... Deryk Engellend's speech...the players involvement in the community...the relationship with the city...little things like hosting some members of the Humboldt community ...Golden Pipes allowing Winnipeg fans their "True North" moment during the anthem...(telling Carrie Underwood "No Thanks")...etc. etc....I thought they showed a lot of class.

Congratulations to the Golden Knights for a great season...and to the Caps...another great story...the near-perfect ending IMO.

 

 

All of the pregame stuff, the opening night stuff, all of that was exactly what I hoped for out of a Las Vegas sports team. I don't understand the complaints about any of that. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Yeah, anyone who doesn't like the Golden Knights medieval times stuff can go pound sand. Good on them for making it fun.

 

Most of us were rooting for Vegas hockey to be a disaster (I know I was), but I'm glad there's a new functional team in the NHL in a market that supports it. It's a pretty stark contrast to Phoenix. And, really, now that there's a desert city in the NHL they can concentrate on getting the Coyotes the hell out of there.

[FiddySicks]

3 hours ago, DG_Now said:

Most of us were rooting for Vegas hockey to be a disaster (I know I was), but I'm glad there's a new functional team in the NHL in a market that supports it. It's a pretty stark contrast to Phoenix. And, really, now that there's a desert city in the NHL they can concentrate on getting the Coyotes the hell out of there.

 

Lol, give it five years and see if this is still even somewhat valid. My prediction is they’ll actually be in a WORSE spot than the Yotes. At least Phoenix has a hefty full-time population. What is Vegas gonna do when they have a down year and a transient population? 

 

Oh, and the Raiders playing in a park built on the public dime. Yeah, good luck with that, Vegas. 

[habsfan1]

Former Hab DSP with the WWE Championship with Capitals sideplates.

 

[habsfan1]

@Crabcake47 Did you go to the parade?

[AstroCree]

21 hours ago, Bucfan56 said:

 

Lol, give it five years and see if this is still even somewhat valid. My prediction is they’ll actually be in a WORSE spot than the Yotes. At least Phoenix has a hefty full-time population. What is Vegas gonna do when they have a down year and a transient population? 

 

Oh, and the Raiders playing in a park built on the public dime. Yeah, good luck with that, Vegas. 

Doesn't mean much when they're almost dead last in attendance every year. 

[Crabcake]

4 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

@Crabcake47 Did you go to the parade?

You bet I did! I got to go with my Dad as well, really special day. We drove to the nearest Metro station and then rode the Metro for about half an hour. Walked a couple blocks to the Mall and watched the parade and rally on the screens there. It was incredible. I’ve never seen so much red in my life.