2023-24 NHL Season Thread

[STEVEHOLT]

Go leafs go
Go leafs go

 

[OburgOrange]

Go leafs go
Go leafs go

Just extended the inevitable

 

[kirbivore]

epic meltdown by the islanders last night. up 3-2 with 2 min left . lose 5-3 .

If they can beat Washington the Rangers are playing Carolina round 2. I was hoping NY can win in 5 at most and that the Isles could force Carolina into a long series.

 

[Cowtown]

epic meltdown by the islanders last night. up 3-2 with 2 min left . lose 5-3 .

Ouch. Game changer by Auston Matthews, played the best game of his career last night and Hogtown beats Beantown. We'll see whether he can summon that kind of game again.

 

[OburgOrange]

Kind of like it

 

[Cusefan95]

epic meltdown by the islanders last night. up 3-2 with 2 min left . lose 5-3 .

I was at the Devils - Hurricanes Game 7 in 2009. Devils up 3-2, trying to close out the series, crowd going nuts…then the ‘Canes scored to tie it up with 1:20 left. Still ok, Devils can win in OT…nope, ‘Canes score with 0:28 left, game over, series over, season over. Was like a wake walking out of Prudential Center, stunned silence as nobody could believe what they’d just witnessed.

I really hate Carolina, I feel for Isles fans after this one.

 

[ScrabbCuse]

If they can beat Washington the Rangers are playing Carolina round 2. I was hoping NY can win in 5 at most and that the Isles could force Carolina into a long series.

Not sure why NHL uses this playoff format. Either go to a 1-8 or reseed after the first round. Rangers and Carolina are the top two teams in the conference. No reason they should be playing each other before the Conference Finals.

 

[Cusefan95]

Not sure why NHL uses this playoff format. Either go to a 1-8 or reseed after the first round. Rangers and Carolina are the top two teams in the conference. No reason they should be playing each other before the Conference Finals.

They opted to go this way to try to build stronger divisional rivalries. An added benefit in the gambling era is bracket betting is possible, so I’d put the likelihood of reseeding after round 1 very, very low.

I’d prefer 1-8 seeding, but hanging your hat on the Rangers having to play a 111 pt Carolina team instead of a 109 pt Boston team in round 2 isn’t all that compelling an argument. I suspect that bracket betting is a big enough deal (especially in Canada) that if they go back to 1-8, they would do it like the NCAA tournament with no reseeding. I suspect that’s a big part of why the NHL refuses to go back to 1-8; there’s enough upsets in hockey that round 2 will quickly be #1 vs #4 and #6 vs #7 which is really hard to justify.

 

[tbonezone]

I really hate Carolina, I feel for Isles fans after this one.

i feel for the goalie varlamov . dude made 38 saves (. 895 save %.) and lost in last 2 minutes.
by the by there was a play where a hurricane player stuck his stick into varlamovs face mask and literally ripped the helmet off his head that wasn't whistled. play on. and yet they waive off an islander goal for high stick outside the crease. refs were jokers. home ice penalties 16/8.

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[BlazeOrange]

So, fan interest aside, what looks like the best series so far?

 

[Cusefan95]

So, fan interest aside, what looks like the best series so far?

Tampa - Florida has been insanely physical, it’s the best series so far in my opinion. Boston - Toronto I think will be good. The metro series look like Hurricanes and Rangers will win against overmatched competition.

Not really sure about the west as I haven’t been able to watch much, but Stars - Knights might be a surprise - I’m going to try to stay up to see that one tonight.

 

[BlazeOrange]

I missed Game 2, but the Avs-Jets opener was a fun watch.

 

[Cowtown]

I missed Game 2, but the Avs-Jets opener was a fun watch.

Winnipeg was flat in game 2.

 

[jncuse]

Don't care that this is no longer their goal song. Had to put up with it long enough.
Boston 4, Leafs 2.

 

[kirbivore]

So, fan interest aside, what looks like the best series so far?

For pure offense either Avs-Jets or Kings-Oilers. Rooting for my 30-1 future on Winnipeg.

 

[jncuse]

For pure offense either Avs-Jets or Kings-Oilers. Rooting for my 30-1 future on Winnipeg.

30 is ironically the # of playoffs that have been completed since a Canadian team won the Cup.
That being said 6 Canadian Teams have made the final since - not the Leafs of course.

 

[tbonezone]

i believe there is a two drink minimum policy to watch the chubbsuckers perform .

 

[im4cuse]

I’m bringing a Rags fan with me to caps game 3 :-(. My seat neighbors will not approve.

 

[kirbivore]

30 is ironically the # of playoffs that have been completed since a Canadian team won the Cup.
That being said 6 Canadian Teams have made the final since - not the Leafs of course.

I've got a $1500 ticket if the Jets win. Not going to worry about any hedge until a potential Campell Conference Final appearance.

 

[Cusefan95]

I’m bringing a Rags fan with me to caps game 3 :-(. My seat neighbors will not approve.

I take my kids to a lot of Hershey Bears games, one of their favorite players is Dylan McIlrath. With him on the Caps now, we’ve got extra reason to root against the Rangers. So…

I’m available for game 4 or 6 if needed.

 

[im4cuse]

I take my kids to a lot of Hershey Bears games, one of their favorite players is Dylan McIlrath. With him on the Caps now, we’ve got extra reason to root against the Rangers. So…

I’m available for game 4 or 6 if needed.

The Bears have been great when called up: we love Miro. Wish they’d sit Paches for him.

 

[Cusefan95]

The Bears have been great when called up: we love Miro. Wish they’d sit Paches for him.

Miro is already an NHL record holder - longest surname on an NHL jersey ever. John Brackenborough has the same length name but played prior to the league's adoption of surnames on jerseys.

Hunter Shepard is my favorite, I think he’s got potential to be a really solid NHL goaltender.

I’ve been generally surprised how long some guys have stayed down in Hershey; Caps seem to be way more patient than most NHL teams (possibly to a fault).