2015-2016 NHL Season

[JetsFan4Life 542]

So 28 or 32 games versus the other conference and 54 or 50 games versus your own isn't a big difference? That's a big difference lol.

 

Also one conference having 14 and the other having 16 is silly. Also lopsided since you only have to be one of the 8 best out of 14 in one conference and one of the 8 best out of 16 in the other.

 

Yeah, but the West has been much better than the East since that new system was implemented so I would argue that based off skill etc. it's tougher to make the playoffs in the West right now. Vegas will be getting a team soon which will give the West 15 to make it a little more even (and completely even if they decide to move a team in the East like Carolina).

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Someone mentioned this in the shoutbox (I think it was blots), but does this run the Lightning are on make them think they can let Stamkos walk this summer?

[Sarge+ 3,436]

I don't know how you could possibly let Stamkos go. He's 26. He could easily play as one of the top players in hockey for another 6-7 years.

[oochymp 2,393]

I don't know their cap situation, but it'd definitely make me shy away from overpaying for him

[Sarge+ 3,436]

I think they need to make the sacrifices to make it happen. Generally I almost always agree that overpaying a player is a bad idea. But Stamkos isn't just any player. And as I said, he's young enough that you have quite a large window of opportunity if you can find cheap talent to put around him. Maybe you have to let a few other guys go if you pay Stamkos, but in a few years you should be able to replace those guys. A guy like Stamkos isn't going to be replaced.

 

And if they pay Stamkos, have a few "down" years, and then win a Cup, the "overpayment" in that case is totally worth it. Let's play to win, shall we?

[blotsfan 2,112]

I'm not sure what the right answer is, but Stamkos is probably going to want a max deal of about 12 million a year. They do have a lot of cap space for next year, but contracts for Hedman and Bishop are gonna need new contracts soon. Its tough to tie up almost 1/5th of cap space on one player in hockey. Especially when they're showing now that they can win without him.

 

Not to mention, the blood clots have to be a little scary considering whats happened to Chris Bosh. If they sign Stamkos to that deal and he gets another clot, the Lightning are screwed for the next decade.

 

That being said, Stamkos is still one of the best scorers in the league so I do get why you would want to keep him. I just don't think its too cut and dry.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

Yer, Stamkos is already pretty much out the door. Some team will throw a ton of money at him, and it won't be TB.

[Bay 2,003]

Sullivan said Matt Murray will get the nod for Tuesday's Game 6 against the Washington Capitals, removing any hint of a goaltending controversy before his usually vague answers had the possibility to be misconstrued.

lmao TSN

 

 

There was some talk of Fleury starting.

[Thanatos 2,847]

I wish the Pens would start Fleury lol. There's no earthly reason to pull Murray at this point. This series is his to win or lose.

 

The fan part of me wants Washington to take this to 7. The realist says there is no way Pitt loses game 6 at home.

[oochymp 2,393]

a few days ago somebody mentioned in the shoutbox that Kuzy has been "invisible" this playoffs, I countered that I thought he'd actually played really well but couldn't back it up with anything other than "he's looked good" fortunately, the guys over at RMNB are a little better at defending him than I am: Believe It or Not, Evgeny Kuznetsov Has Played Really Well This Postseason

[Bay 2,003]

I said 'almost' invisible and I was referring to the scoresheet. There have been chances that need to be converted. No puck luck.

[oochymp 2,393]

I also wouldn't consider this a choke if we put up a similar performance Saturday to the past couple games and still lose, it's just a matter of two very good teams meeting too early in the playoffs, it happens and someone has to lose. These two teams finished with the best two records in the Eastern Conference and I don't think there's any shame to be had in losing in the playoffs to the second best team in the conference in a hard fought series. Now if we lay an egg like we did in the elimination game in '09 then yes, that would be a choke job, but I don't see that happening with this team. I still think we have a good chance in this series, it's definitely an uphill battle, but nobody should expect the playoffs to be easy.

 

The best part is that I don't see either of these teams falling off any time soon, so we should be meeting each other in the playoffs a lot more, especially under the new division format.

I still hold true to this, I look forward to meeting/beating the Pens next season

 

 

also, FUCK THE PENGUINS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited May 11, 2016 by oochymp

[Bay 2,003]

John Carlson was so fun to watch in the playoffs and I'll miss that.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

The Caps are simply not a postseason team. They don't embrace the pressure like other teams do. When they couldn't bury the Flyers in game 4 and got pushed to a game 6, it was very clear they didn't have it this year, as usual. The Caps have had two 120-pt seasons since 2010 and it's resulted in a one-and-done and a two-and-BBQ. Any way you cut it, that's beyond unacceptable. Caps are a sorry fucking excuse for a franchise.

 

 

LOSERS!!!!!

Edited May 11, 2016 by Piggly Wiggly

[BJORN 679]

The Caps are simply not a postseason team. They don't embrace the pressure like other teams do. When they couldn't bury the Flyers in game 4 and got pushed to a game 6, it was very clear they didn't have it this year, as usual.

Pretty much this. They peaked too early and simply coasted into and even during the postseason.

I said 'almost' invisible and I was referring to the scoresheet. There have been chances that need to be converted. No puck luck.

2 points in 12 games....no show.

 

Hoping for a Sharks-Stars WCF, the dream.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Penguins/Lightning ECF...what a nightmare.

[BJORN 679]

Penguins/Lightning ECF...what a nightmare.

Should be fun to watch at least.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Still feel the Caps outplayed the Penguins in at least two of their losses, including game 6, (not the OT period, though, jesus, Pens were all over them for that). Just nearly all the puck luck went Pitt's way- exception game 1- and the Caps were not good enough to overcome that and the Penguins.

 

It's easy to chalk this up to "that's just the Capitals" but this didn't seem the same as some other playoff exits in their past. They were a good team that played a good team that just got some fortunate bounces and the Caps shot themselves in the leg with a couple big mistakes, (Orpik can go jump in a lake, especially if that was an intentional shot with his stick, which it sure as hell looked like it to me. He cost the Caps the series singlehandedly, almost).

 

Holtby also let in a very easy one last night, not sure what happened on Kessel's first shot.

 

Capitals had plenty of opportunities to take game 6 anyway though, 3:30 worth of PP time in the last seven minutes and they couldn't score the go-ahead goal. Once OT started, it was like a different Pens team came out.

 

Love the morons talking about how Sid beat Ovi again, Sid was held to two points and Ovi had 7. Ovechkin played great in most of the games and is the better player between the two at this point.

Edited May 11, 2016 by Thanatos

[oochymp 2,393]

https://twitter.com/JenksCSN/status/730229434565988354

https://twitter.com/JenksCSN/status/730237220788027392

https://twitter.com/JenksCSN/status/730242467128283136

 

Michael Jenkins - I took last night's Washington Capitals loss...

 

Michael Jenkins is every Caps fan, couldn't find the video in a format I could embed, but it's worth clicking through the link

Edited May 11, 2016 by oochymp

[SteVo+ 3,702]

So, my bracket's not completely screwed, somehow.

 

We should have some pretty awesome hockey in the conference finals.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

The WCF intrigues me more, but won't be going out of my way to watch either series, really. Barely watched the ECF last year even with the Rangers being in it.

[Bay 2,003]

Sharks-Blues

 

premature post so now the Sharks will choke this game away

[FartWaffles 1,857]

Sharks-Blues

I'll be rooting for whoever wins that series to win it all. Should be a good one.

[oochymp 2,393]

Michael Jenkins - I took last night's Washington Capitals loss...

 

Michael Jenkins is every Caps fan, couldn't find the video in a format I could embed, but it's worth clicking through the link

the video made it to YouTube so I can imbed it:

[BigBen07 285]

Sharks-Blues

 

premature post so now the Sharks will choke this game away

*points at scoreboard* *ahem*