The Official 2017-18 NHL thread

[Doc Holliday]

I think Quebec's chances of getting a team would increase if Bettman were gone. On another note, the Hab's tank job didn't go well tonight against Detroit.

Why do people believe Bettman is the reason for all their ailments? He's made billions for the NHL and he innovated it like no one else. He's also working for the NHL owners and that's one thing people who hate him do not seem to realize. If the majority of owners would want a team in Quebec there'd be a team in Quebec. It wouldn't surprise me if Ottawa and Montreal would be totally against a team in Quebec because it would hurt their bottom line and the current fan support.

What i'm hearing is that the main obstacle right now with Quebec having a franchise is the current ownership group (Quebecor) who are currently willing to own a team in the city. They are not well regarded by the NHL. Another obstacle is the weak Canadian dollar but revenue sharing would take care of this like it's doing to other struggling franchises.

Bettman is NOT the problem. I repeat: Gary Bettman is NOT the problem.

 

[EagerBeaver]

The Winnipeg Jets are quietly emerging as a legit Stanley Cup threat. What if they stun you all and win it?

 

[gaby]

Well i see the Jets in my cup of tea.....would not be surprise if they win it...au contraire would be very happy. They will play Wild in the first-round....and probably the Preds in the second.....that should be great hockey.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Even the Canadiens would likely be more motivated to assemble a better team and organisation than the one we see now.

You don't think the habs are doing everything to assemble a better team?? Why not? The problem is their general manager and scouting. Player development is also a huge problem in the organization. But those people involved are trying their very best to improve the team. But it won't be easy considering their goaltender will be the highest paid player on the team and getting paid $10.5 million a year for the next 8 years. Plus Shea Weber's huge contract which expires in 8 years also. This is chaos on the salary cap!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Well i see the Jets in my cup of tea.....would not be surprise if they win it...au contraire would be very happy. They will play Wild in the first-round....and probably the Preds in the second.....that should be great hockey.

With the Wild's best defenceman out for the year i'm picking the Peg to roll over Minny. The team which will represent the West in the Stanley Cup finals will be the winner of the second-round series between the Preds and the Peg.

The Jets are a very exciting to watch and i love their size and their hitting. They are very well coached and goaltending has been solid all season long.

In the East? I'm picking either Boston or Tampa to represent the East in the finals. However, if the Leafs manage to upset either the Bruins or the Bolts in the first-round i wouldn't be surprised if they'd end up representing the East in the finals.

 

[gaby]

Agree in the West winner of the second-round should be in for the Cup....in the east i would bet on the Caps.....comme on dit ils sont dûs...ont démontré de la constance et stabilité en fin de saison....OVI et les siens ont des choses a prouver en séries...cette année doit être la bonne.....ma seule GROSSE interrogation est devant le filet....quant a moi Holtby a toujours été surévalué.....heureusement qu'il a devant lui des attaquants qui peuvent la mettre dedans.....les séries s'annoncent exciting.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

McDavid, 3 points .

 

[tiga]

Quelques commentaires éparpillés :
L'année passée Holtby a été tellement faible en séries... C'est je pense une des dernières chances pour Ovl.
Dans l'Est le Lightning a de moins en moins bien joué au cours de la saison.
Minnesota avec les blessés que cette équipe a ne peut espérer passer au travers des Jets.
Qui eux me semblent trop jeunes pour battre les Preds.
Les leafs vs Bruins, beaucoup de jeunes aussi....
Mais Chara est en forme. Équipe dangereuse.
Peut être Pittsburgh un triplé...

 

[EagerBeaver]

McDavid, 3 points .

McDavid had a massive scoring burst over the latter part of the season, resulting in him exploding past Kucherov for his second scoring title in as many years. He is also putting pucks in the net. Back to back 100 point seasons are very, very very hard to do in this age of defense-minded, grinding hockey.

 

[Oz-Man]

Doc, The Habs seem to lack urgency in their actions. Unless the reports are untrue, we have a GM who was cavalier in his negotiations with two key free agents (Markov and Radulov), while at the same time refusing to make long overdue changes at the scouting, player development and AHL level. Back when the Nordiques were around, there was fierce rivalry over attracting players and coaches. This included attracting as many Quebec born players as possible, which we know is a priority here. Neither team wanted to lose market share in the province and this resulted in both being competitive. Now, the Canadiens can rest comfortably on their laurels without much fear of losing their fan base.

 

[gaby]

tiga....j'aimerais beaucoup voir les Pens y aller pour un triplé MAIS ils ont le même GROS problème que les Caps soit devant le filet...Murray est imprévisible et leur défensive est poreuse...CEPENDANT ils ont des attaquants spectaculaires et aguerris....leur avantage numérique est dévastateur....du bon hockey en perspective.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Doc, The Habs seem to lack urgency in their actions

It’s called tanking, aka the Dahlin Sweepstakes. May the best worst team win!!!!

 

[Doc Holliday]

Doc, The Habs seem to lack urgency in their actions. Unless the reports are untrue, we have a GM who was cavalier in his negotiations with two key free agents (Markov and Radulov), while at the same time refusing to make long overdue changes at the scouting, player development and AHL level. Back when the Nordiques were around, there was fierce rivalry over attracting players and coaches. This included attracting as many Quebec born players as possible, which we know is a priority here. Neither team wanted to lose market share in the province and this resulted in both being competitive. Now, the Canadiens can rest comfortably on their laurels without much fear of losing their fan base.

I understand why Bergevin chose not to re-sign Radulov. Radulov's demands were way too extravagant from the start and only on July 1st did his demands become more reasonable and he simply chose to go play in a city where taxes were lower than Montreal's. Markov i put the blame solely on Bergevin for playing hard ball with a long-time effective habs defenceman. Treating Markov the way he did was uncalled for. He knew Markov wanted to come back and used this to his disadvantage. And when you consider the fact that Bergevin had extended a two-year contract to Tomas Plekanec for $6 million/season you somewhat understand Radulov's initial contractual demands.

As for Quebec-born players......in 2018 it should no longer be a priority in Montreal to sign local players. In a hard cap age like today's NHL and with the game as global as ever with as much talent coming from all over the world, winning should be the priority. Not where a player comes from. You'll never win anything if you start priotizing hockey players' nationalities over talent.

I'll tell you where Bergevin failed the most: he had an extra $8 million in cap money to spend for the entire season and never used it. That extra $8 million might have helped improve the team greatly had Bergevin been creative. But being creative is totally unknown to Marc Bergevin. That's what happens when former hockey players with no business savy (or education) are put into powerful managerial positions. Just because someone once played NHL hockey doesn't necessarily make him a top-notch bureaucrat.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Vigneault Fired

As predicted the ax has fallen:

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/23070458/alain-vigneault-fired-new-york-rangers

 

[gaby]

...et je dirais que Boucher is next....

 

[gaby]

Chapeau to CONNOR with 108 pts....another saison exceptionnelle....et qui aurait prévu que Giroux terminerait 2ème meilleur pointeur.....great great .

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

9 Canadian players in the top 20 point race. McDavid first player to win snd the team did not make the playoffs.

 

[Doc Holliday]

My pick for the Hart trophy will either be Claude Giroux, Nathan MacKinnon or Taylor Hall. They were all instrumental in leading their teams to the playoffs. McDavid had a great season by his team missed the playoffs again. He also had only 6 points more than Giroux had and wasn't even in top 5 for goal scoring. Even Eric Staal had more goals.

As for the Vezina it's all up for grabs. My personal favorite would be Frederik Andersen but it'll likely be someone else. Andersen was a big reason for Toronto's tremendous success this season.

As for the Jack Adams it'll likely be Gerard Gallant. However the likes of Paul Maurice, Mike Babcock, Bruce Cassidy & Peter Laviolette also had terrific seasons but this is Gallant's trophy to lose since no one on this planet could have predicted the success the new Vegas franchise had throughout the season.

The Norris? My money's on Drew Doughty. What a defenceman!

 

[gaby]

Side notes.
Yesterday Torto did not dressed Panarin, Atkinson and Bobrovsky....was clear he did not wanted to fight Pens in first-round....prefers to meet the Caps....wish the Caps will give him a good lesson.....

Same with the Kings..they left Dallas scored 4 easy goals dont un hat-trick for Benn in the first period......was enough to loose the game...they did not wanted to play Ducks in first-round....they prefer playing Vegas...hope also G.KNIGHTS will answer well.....

 

[gaby]

Vezina trophy....my personal choice would be HELLEBUYCK...played 67 games, won 44 avec .924 de moyenne BUT i think VASSILEVSKI will get it....played 65 games, won 44 avec une moyenne de.920 and 8 SO.

Jack Adams....no hesitation at all.. it will be GALLANT.

Norris.....my personal choice would be SHAYNE GOSTISBEHERE--FLYERS....not spectacular mais très efficace....65 pts et une fiche de plus 10 BUT i think HEDMAN will be the favorite with 63 points et une fiche de PLUS 32.....assez exceptionnel.