2023-24 NHL Season Thread

[STEVEHOLT]

I’ve always liked Berube. Hope he is the next coach

I thought he was going to Philly and Tortes was going upstairs into management

 

[STEVEHOLT]

In a cap world, where you are constantly up against the cap, you don't necessarily need fair trade value back. Creating cap space alone, allows you to retain some players that you otherwise couldn't, or flexibility in FA or making other trades. I think with Mitch though, it might not even be about value he may be hard headed and refuse to waive. But assuming he does.

Matthews and Nylander are fine as the two core offensive stalwarts. Give Treliving a chance to try to balance the rest of the lineup out, even with less top end talent, and the Leafs can be as competitive or nearly as competitive in the regular season... and perhaps more competitive in the playoffs as Mitch Marner never delivers fair value in the playoffs.

His numbers actually show he does fine games 1-4 then disappears games 5-7

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Marner is remiss in a lot of areas. Plays like he has a dozen eggs in his pockets ( thanks Grapes), and he doesn’t show up on the scoresheet. Add that to being a defensive liability…… Playoff hockey isn’t his thing

Dude always starts by retreating. It’s in his DNA. Works ok in the regular season. In playoffs it’s not only not effective , it’s harmful. He absolutely cannot change it would seem. Even if he waives the NTC, it will be to a very limited number of teams and his value will be driven down even further. The leafs absolutely cannot resign him. If he refuse movement , just let his deal play out.

 

[kirbivore]

And the leafs manage to blow another 3rd period game 7 lead

That team is amazing in finding new ways to torture their fans.

 

[kirbivore]

LETS GO RANGERS!

 

[OburgOrange]

I watched the overtime goal replay about 10 times. If Samsonov comes out about 5 feet from his crease, he intercepts that bounce pass off the backboard and Pasternak doesn’t score. He stayed deep in his net. Also, Reilly got beat to the puck, never should have happened on a dump in

Ugh

 

[Cusefan95]

In a cap world, where you are constantly up against the cap, you don't necessarily need fair trade value back. Creating cap space alone, allows you to retain some players that you otherwise couldn't, or flexibility in FA or making other trades. I think with Mitch though, it might not even be about value he may be hard headed and refuse to waive. But assuming he does.

Matthews and Nylander are fine as the two core offensive stalwarts. Give Treliving a chance to try to balance the rest of the lineup out, even with less top end talent, and the Leafs can be as competitive or nearly as competitive in the regular season... and perhaps more competitive in the playoffs as Mitch Marner never delivers fair value in the playoffs.

Toronto had 102 pts in the regular season. The west has typical had higher point totals for the wildcards recently, but this year in the west required 98 pts to make the playoffs. East was 91 pts. Toronto doesn’t have a huge amount to give up in regular season performance to remain a playoff team.

They need to be just about as good as they are now in the regular season, and substantially better in the playoffs. I don’t see any route for them to get there. The Leafs are in the purgatory of being just good enough to think they have a Cup chance (that isn’t there), which is going to delay them blowing it up and rebuilding at least another 2-3 years. Not the best time to be a Leafs fan…

 

[Cusefan95]

LETS GO RANGERS!

I’m feeling like my midseason prediction of a Rangers-Panthers ECF is looking really good right now.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

41/ 36 (games 1-4)
9/ 21 (games 5-7)

Career Pts / games in games 1-4 in a playoff series vs games 5-7 for one Mitchell Marner.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

I’m feeling like my midseason prediction of a Rangers-Panthers ECF is looking really good right now.

Not so fast.

 

[Cusefan95]

Not so fast.

I think Florida outplayed Boston early and for most of the game, but Swayman was untouchable. He has the ability to potentially flip the series for sure.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

I think Florida outplayed Boston early and for most of the game, but Swayman was untouchable. He has the ability to potentially flip the series for sure.

Sway Man
Flip series
I see what you did there

 

[Cusefan95]

After a tough game 1, Florida just stomping Boston tonight. This is one of the more lopsided games of the playoffs so far.

 

[OburgOrange]

After a tough game 1, Florida just stomping Boston tonight. This is one of the more lopsided games of the playoffs so far.

Hate to see it. And Tkachuk smacked Pasternak around in a fight.

 

[dasher]

Well, the Panthers were going to beat the Bruins at some point. right? They have an excellent team and were 0-5 against the B's.

 

[Cusefan95]

Hate to see it. And Tkachuk smacked Pasternak around in a fight.

That was…interesting. I don’t watch a lot of Boston games, but they’ve seemed to stick to a strategy of trying to physically intimidate the other team. It’s not a bad approach generally, try to get the other team thinking about it when they’re going into the corner for the puck - it’s just not going to work on a team like Florida which is physical-to-the-point-of-dirty also.

 

[Cowtown]

Holy Cow! Vancouver stuns the Oil with 3 in the 3rd! Down 4-2, I thought they'd pull Silovs to start the period, just to take some pressure off, but what do I know? The third period was wild!

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Holy Cow! Vancouver stuns the Oil with 3 in the 3rd! Down 4-2, I thought they'd pull Silovs to start the period, just to take some pressure off, but what do I know? The third period was wild!

is there any goalie in that series that can be trusted? Edmonton never had one and the Couv lost theirs.

 

[upperdeck]

I had Edm to finish off my parlay. When they got ahead by 2 Vanc was almost +500. I didn't trust Edm so I threw some profit away with a hedge and I am glad I did.

 

[Cowtown]

is there any goalie in that series that can be trusted? Edmonton never had one and the Couv lost theirs.

Skinner has played well thus far, Silovs has too for a kid with only a dozen starts. But no goalie can keep the spell up forever, as Swayman and Oettinger both got rung up in their last games also. And for that matter, I don't enjoy watching a 1-0 2 OT game. They're tense sure, but not really much fun. The 5-4 win last night was good to watch. Nobody knows what's up with Demko, but that's the second serious comeback for Vancouver so far. And their goals last night were all secondary scoring. Tocchet has 'em playing well.

 

[Cusefan95]

I've been travelling for work for a couple weeks. My seven year old son has been Facetiming me every morning to get updated on the playoff hockey scores. Today when he called, he proudly announced what the scores were from the games last night. Apparently he figured out the password to be able to download apps on a tablet we let him use, downloaded the NHL app and can now check the scores without having to ask me.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Skinner has played well thus far, Silovs has too for a kid with only a dozen starts. But no goalie can keep the spell up forever, as Swayman and Oettinger both got rung up in their last games also. And for that matter, I don't enjoy watching a 1-0 2 OT game. They're tense sure, but not really much fun. The 5-4 win last night was good to watch. Nobody knows what's up with Demko, but that's the second serious comeback for Vancouver so far. And their goals last night were all secondary scoring. Tocchet has 'em playing well.

I’ve never trusted the Oil D.

 

[Cowtown]

I’ve never trusted the Oil D.

They've gotten steadily better over the last couple years. However, Nurse is an enigma. Solid play for 2 periods, goes all demented in the third.

 

[Faegan]

Rangers - 7-0!!!

 

[STEVEHOLT]

They've gotten steadily better over the last couple years. However, Nurse is an enigma. Solid play for 2 periods, goes all demented in the third.

I mean they have Cody Cece. Leafs and senators reject