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

[mcj882000]

The kicker is that this season of the NHL has been one of the least chaotic in recent history - the favourites won 7/8 series in the first round, and both teams in the Finals at least won their division. Had the playoffs been conference-based, we'd be seeing two #2 seeds in the Finals. Last year a divisional runner-up beat a wild card team for their 2nd straight Cup, and the year before they beat a divisional 3rd-place team from the same spot!

[The_Admiral]

5 hours ago, Bucfan56 said:

So these two leagues have totally different issues that cause the same problems. The NBA has zero parity and it’s caused some stagnation, people don’t wanna take it seriously and don’t wanna watch. On the other end, the NHL has levels of parity that are absolutey off the charts and it’s so overblown that it makes the league a God damn joke, people don’t want to take it seriously and nobody wants to watch.

 

 

I've always said that the NHL needs its central planning to correct for its game's inherent randomness (e.g., a team salary range wider than a bug's butthole, calling penalties) while the NBA needs to create it (e.g, completely unweighted lottery for all 14 picks) for what its game lacks. 

 

[sparkychewbarky]

7 hours ago, Bucfan56 said:

If this Vegas team wins the cup, I’m am legitimately never wasting a single second of my time with this... sport.

 

That would be great, then you wouldn't have to post on this side anymore, trying to convince yourself that the NBA's product is a better sport. It's just not.

It doesn't seem to matter how well your team is coached, or how hard you play, or how good of a system you have...in the NBA, if you don't have a top 5 star; you're pretty much toast. Hardly a definition of what a team sport should be about. The regular season is just filler. If you're in the east, the travellin' Lebron show will prevail. It is written. If the NBA was a restaurant it would be the kind that has the perfect decor, hip waiters (as opposed to hip waders ) who'll sing you happy birthday while you wear a silly hat, free balloons for the kids, etc...but the food is crap! The NBA's ridiculous refereeing turns its game into something very questionable and dishonest. What the NBA is truly good at however, is telling us all how great their product is...ad nauseam. Sometimes I think that NBA fans are people that like shiny things...or they're all 12 years old. Obviously you're not watching the hockey, because the NHL playoffs have been fantastic this year. The opening game of the SCF last night was exceptional...way better than watching the Rockets choke themselves into elimination.

So, it's the Cavs-Warriors again, eh?... yawn. 

Yes, the NBA gets better TV numbers, but "a lot of numbers" doesn't define the "goodness" of anything...MOD EDIT: Please, don'y insert politics into this thread.

MOD EDIT: Let's refrain from taking personal shots at one another, please.

[The_Admiral]

He's a Sharks fan and I don't know him to be a "big bad baller."

[sparkychewbarky]

MOD EDIT: Please stick to discussing the merits of the 2018 NHL Playoffs, as opposed to those of your fellow CCSLC members. Thank you.

[FiddySicks]

Yeah for those who haven’t caught on yet, this is half schtick. But only half. I do genuinely think this league is unwatchable garbage. But that’s been the case for years now. This current run just confirms that. 

 

Also, look at the ratings between the NBA and NHL and tell me that stupid little fly-by-night niche slideypuck game league is better. Hockey fans are absolutely delusional.

 

MOD EDIT

[The_Admiral]

It's not unwatchable, but it's getting there. Shift-shortening is hurting quality of play more than Mike Keenan ever could have imagined but it's almost impossible to legislate out. You can't set up a quality scoring chance if you're jumping off the ice almost as soon as you're jumping on.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

Washington's going to regret their sloppy play in Game 1. Mark my words.

[DTConcepts]

Calm down. Just because Vegas is good doesn’t mean the NHL is a joke. It just means that Vegas is good. Whether by luck or by skill, the Golden Knights deserve to be where they are. Kudos to them.

 

In addition, to those saying Vegas is not a hockey city, come visit. I’m in Vegas visiting family and holy :censored: is it hockey central. Everyone in VGK gear, the words “Go Knights Go” coming from every mouth in the city. Even before they started winning it was like this. It’s not a case like Arizona where no one could care less about the team, it’s a case like Montreal, where the team represents the city.

 

Stop giving Vegas so much :censored:. They deserve to be where they’re at.

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

everyone thought Vegas was gonna be poo.  After their "totally unfair" expansion draft last year did anyone on here say OH man that team is stacked!  At best maybeee you woulda thought they'd flirt with the playoffs.  They deserve a ton of credit for the beast that they've created.  This isn't a decent team that is luckboxing their way to a title, they are legitimately the best team in the league (except maybe the Caps, fingers crossed).  I'm sorry that a team in the desert is better at hockey than yours, truly I am.  But hey, at least its not Raleigh

[Dalcowboyfan92]

Washington was able to do something really only San Jose was able to do once, really chase Fleury. All goals were on Even Strength, something that before; Fleury was able to stop.

 

I mean, Holtby was really mortal (5 Goals, 1 on PP); but both goalies had a shaky Game 1. Game 2 should be interesting to see how both goalies react to the blitzkrieg that was Game 1.

[The_Admiral]

17 minutes ago, Zeus89725 said:

In addition, to those saying Vegas is not a hockey city, come visit. I’m in Vegas visiting family and holy is it hockey central. Everyone in VGK gear, the words “Go Knights Go” coming from every mouth in the city. Even before they started winning it was like this. It’s not a case like Arizona where no one could care less about the team, it’s a case like Montreal, where the team represents the city.

 

Talk about calming down. 

[Brian in Boston]

It's getting increasingly "chippy" in here, folks. Let's stick to discussing the merits of the 2018 NHL Playoffs and, further, refrain from taking snarky personal shots at one another while doing so. 

Thank you. 

[OnWis97]

I want the Wild to move to Seattle.  They can change their name to...well anything's an improvement.

 

Then in a few years, I want Minnesota to get an expansion team with the same expansion draft parameters.  It'll be the most successful season in Minnesota NHL history.  They won't actually win the cup because Minnesota, but they may be better than mediocre.  And the opportunity for a non-embarrassing name is icing on the cake.

[AstroCree]

I like the name "Wild". 

[The_Admiral]

35 minutes ago, insert name said:

I like the name "Wild". 

 

 

MOD EDIT

[FiddySicks]

10 hours ago, Cujo said:

 

MOD EDIT: Let's stick to discussing the merits of the 2018 NHL Playoffs, as opposed to baiting our fellow CCSLC members. Thank you.

 

Yeah, Curt! 

[BeerGuyJordan]

2 hours ago, Zeus89725 said:

Calm down. Just because Vegas is good doesn’t mean the NHL is a joke. It just means that Vegas is good. Whether by luck or by skill, the Golden Knights deserve to be where they are. Kudos to them.

If it is by luck, then by definition, they don't deserve to be there.

 

2 hours ago, Zeus89725 said:

In addition, to those saying Vegas is not a hockey city, come visit. I’m in Vegas visiting family and holy is it hockey central. Everyone in VGK gear, the words “Go Knights Go” coming from every mouth in the city. Even before they started winning it was like this.

Since the Knights came out of the gate swinging, and winning from the opener, this claim is baseless and flat out false.

 

2 hours ago, Zeus89725 said:

It’s not a case like Arizona where no one could care less about the team, it’s a case like Montreal, where the team represents the city.

*couldn't care less

 

2 hours ago, Zeus89725 said:

Stop giving Vegas so much :censored:. They deserve to be where they’re at.

Deserve? Really? Based on what, all those off-season signings and trades they made? (Oh wait there weren't any) Their trade deadline moves? (Only one, and not for a piece in this playoffs) The years of talent and prospect development? (Again, no. They were in the bottom 5 for call ups/send downs)

 

They deserve a little credit for working within the draft, but every team had second liners exposed. Yes they played the games, but this is a team without a true bottom line of forwards or defensemen.

 

Almost everything that Las Vegas did to succeed happened within the confines of the expansion draft. A draft they paid $500 million to get such good conditions in.

 

As I see it, the owners essentially sold the Cup to Foley, and all for the low price of 16 and a half million per person.

[Cujo]

6 minutes ago, Bucfan56 said:

Yeah, Curt! 

 

Encouraging, not baiting. If anything, Vegas Golden Knights "America's Team" doing the baiting here, especially if they win the next 3! 

[OnWis97]

29 minutes ago, Cujo said:

 

Encouraging, not baiting. If anything, Vegas Golden Knights "America's Team" doing the baiting here, especially if they win the next 3! 

No idea what you said, but cursory review of the internet tells me they are, for the time being, America's Team.

 

The only thing I hate worse than the fact that they're going to win the Cup is that this is turning out to be good for the league.  It should be bad.  It really should.