2011-12 NHL Season

[zpqmaowl]

Varly is now 8-0 in them, like Quick was 10-0 last year.

[NEW.ERA]

I almost threw up after McGinn tied it with 1 second left.

Shootouts!

[The_Admiral]

Everyone has gotten destroyed recently at MTS Centre.

When we did predictions in September, I had the Jets finishing 13th or 14th, saying that they'd coast on the goodwill through a painful evaluation, fire sale, and generally just figuring out what to do. I especially scoffed at the people who thought they could make the playoffs simply by virtue of the home crowd really liking them. I apologize for thinking such a thing was preposterous. It still is preposterous, but it's happening.

Colorado has a losing record without shootouts/loser points. What a team!

[Morgan33]

The Bruins are in first place in their division and they'll get that #2 spot. They have scored the most goals in the league, they're 5th in GA, and lead the GD with a +53. What exactly is there to complain about (except the latest ticket prices)? The past few years have been the best run of Bruins hockey since the late 80's and early 90's. I'm like a pig in .

Teams can't run the table in hockey, there are going to be runs of mediocre play. They're also banged up right now and still managing to not lose too much ground. Did last years playoffs now show you anything? This team is as gritty as it gets, they bang out wins when they need them. Everything will be fine, let's take a few steps back from the ledge.

As long as they don't repeat I'll be happy

[zpqmaowl]

Adam Burish threw a Jet's glove over the boards.

[BigBubba]

Three points out of 3rd last (albeit with a game in hand on Montréal).

[waltere]

Some observations:

-8 of the 9 best teams in the League are currently in just 2 division, the Atlantic or the Central, the only exception being the Canucks

-As it stands the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the East face off in the First Round (Pittsburgh v Philly), this is why the division winners automatically getting the top 3 seeds is stupid.

-The Islanders have once more hit (tied) bottom of the east.

[HedleyLamarr]

-As it stands the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the East face off in the First Round (Pittsburgh v Philly), this is why the division winners automatically getting the top 3 seeds is stupid.

Until teams in a conference play the exact same schedule (instead of being division-heavy like they are now), it's not stupid to award a division winner with a top-3 seeding in the playoffs.

[BigBubba]

-As it stands the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the East face off in the First Round (Pittsburgh v Philly), this is why the division winners automatically getting the top 3 seeds is stupid.

Until teams in a conference play the exact same schedule (instead of being division-heavy like they are now), it's not stupid to award a division winner with a top-3 seeding in the playoffs.

When they have nine less wins that the team "behind" them, then, uh, yeah...it is.

[NEW.ERA]

Kay, Vancouver is pi**ing me off! Pi**ing ME off?!

[GFB]

All right Wings... I'm giving you one more week to get healthy again and get your act together... This is really trying my patience.

[Morgan33]

Kay, Vancouver is pi**ing me off! Pi**ing ME off?!

Why? You should love the fact they're tanking

[NEW.ERA]

Kay, Vancouver is pi**ing me off! Pi**ing ME off?!

Why? You should love the fact they're tanking

Not when they're playing a team I need to lose.

[HedleyLamarr]

-As it stands the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the East face off in the First Round (Pittsburgh v Philly), this is why the division winners automatically getting the top 3 seeds is stupid.

Until teams in a conference play the exact same schedule (instead of being division-heavy like they are now), it's not stupid to award a division winner with a top-3 seeding in the playoffs.

When they have nine less wins that the team "behind" them, then, uh, yeah...it is.

Would you rather the NHL just change the procedures on making the playoffs in the middle of the season, a la Nascar?

[The_Admiral]

Jets remaining 12: Capitals, Hurricanes, @ Penguins, @ Capitals, @ Predators, Senators, Rangers, @ Hurricanes, @ Lightning, @ Panthers, @ Islanders, Lightning. Pretty road-gamey down the stretch, but at least it's not as if Raleigh, Miami, or Long Island's home atmospheres strike fear into the hearts of men, nor are they rolling four lines such that any sort of line-matching is but a fool's game. Anyway, if they get 15 points out of 24, that puts them at 89, which should be enough for the playoffs.

Unfortunately, the Panthers have a real cupcake stretch after a Bruins/Sabres/@Flyers test (Hurricanes, Oilers, Isles, Habs, Wild, Beej), so that could be like 12 points out of 12 right there.

Leave it to Big Game Bob to give up 5 goals to the Coyotes, huh. I know that Ray Whitney, Adrian Aucoin, and Daymond Langkow are like the rebirth of the '88 Oilers (maybe they were actually on the '88 Oilers, lol old), so it's a good thing he has a gold medal and no one can ever take that away from him!!!

[NEW.ERA]

I think the Jets can make it. Of course they're going to have to get a full 2 points and not give up a loser point against their divisional foes, but even if they're terrible on the road, I think now is the perfect time to do it, and like you said none of them are really that terrifying, Pittsburgh is the only game I'm really worried about for them.

[BigBubba]

-As it stands the 2nd and 3rd best teams in the East face off in the First Round (Pittsburgh v Philly), this is why the division winners automatically getting the top 3 seeds is stupid.

Until teams in a conference play the exact same schedule (instead of being division-heavy like they are now), it's not stupid to award a division winner with a top-3 seeding in the playoffs.

When they have nine less wins that the team "behind" them, then, uh, yeah...it is.

Would you rather the NHL just change the procedures on making the playoffs in the middle of the season, a la Nascar?

Assuming you're talking about the BOG meeting, it's not like the new hypothetical rule changes would be implemented mid-season, so yes.

[HedleyLamarr]

Jets remaining 12: Capitals, Hurricanes, @ Penguins, @ Capitals, @ Predators, Senators, Rangers, @ Hurricanes, @ Lightning, @ Panthers, @ Islanders, Lightning. Pretty road-gamey down the stretch, but at least it's not as if Raleigh, Miami, or Long Island's home atmospheres strike fear into the hearts of men, nor are they rolling four lines such that any sort of line-matching is but a fool's game. Anyway, if they get 15 points out of 24, that puts them at 89, which should be enough for the playoffs.

Unfortunately, the Panthers have a real cupcake stretch after a Bruins/Sabres/@Flyers test (Hurricanes, Oilers, Isles, Habs, Wild, Beej), so that could be like 12 points out of 12 right there.

They should do well playing in front of half-filled arenas. They are the Thrashers, after all.

[The_Admiral]

That antepenultimate game at the Swampdome will probably be a sellout, but not because of Panthers fans.

Looking at the Hawks' last 11: @ Stars, Capitals, @ the Beej, Canucks, Predators, @ Devils, Blues, @ Predators, Wild, @ Wild, @ Red Wings. Pretty daunting way to wrap it up, with lots of road games and games against trap teams (some of which are also road games). Should be able to get 13 out of 22 somehow and finish with the same 97 as last year. Largely depends on when Toews comes back, if he ever does at all. He's on his fourth concussion, so I think it's time to start asking questions about his career being over. That's pretty depressing.

[CS85]

He's on his fourth concussion, so I think it's time to start asking questions about his career being over. That's pretty depressing.

Wet blanket. Such a depressing thing to consider.