I am so not surprise anymore of is prediction...good job AGAIN DOC :thumb:
P.S. Please for next year...THE PENS...pretty pleaseee loll
Who will win the Stanley Cup
- Thread starter gologill
- Start date
P.S. Please for next year...THE PENS...pretty pleaseee loll
What chance did Tampa have when they had to battle a team excellent in every facet of the game as well as overcome the curse of Stiffer.t?
Yes, I quit betting when work keeps me to too busy to pay attention to sports or I have a losing streak. I am never ashamed of quitting for the latter reason as I know that I have to pay my debts.
Guys,
I got up this morning. The sun came up over the horizon...the Earth was turning as it has for 4 1/2 billion years ... and Joe.t had blown another finals prediction to keep a perfect record of failure. If he could go as long as the planet his record would be just as perfect.
CONGRATULATIONS on winning a hard fought series Chicago. You are the Stanley Cup Champions once again in 3 of the last 6 years. D-Y-N-A-S-T-Y! But give some credit to the unbeatable CURSE himself.
That's quite and eclectic group.
Kimmo Timonen feels the joy of being a CHAMPION.
Cheers,
Merlot
I got up this morning. The sun came up over the horizon...the Earth was turning as it has for 4 1/2 billion years ... and Joe.t had blown another finals prediction to keep a perfect record of failure. If he could go as long as the planet his record would be just as perfect.
CONGRATULATIONS on winning a hard fought series Chicago. You are the Stanley Cup Champions once again in 3 of the last 6 years. D-Y-N-A-S-T-Y! But give some credit to the unbeatable CURSE himself.
That's quite and eclectic group.
Kimmo Timonen feels the joy of being a CHAMPION.
Cheers,
Merlot
Won my bet against Mr.T and already got my winnings, Merci Beaucoup mon ami for prompt payment as always :thumb:
Congrats to the Dynasty Blackhawks. In a day and age that dynasties are rare, they came through and it is nice to see. They earned it and deserve it. Now anyone but them, montreal, detroit or boston next year! I don't think we have to worry about any of them tho (except maybe chicago again) :smile:
Congrats to the Dynasty Blackhawks. In a day and age that dynasties are rare, they came through and it is nice to see. They earned it and deserve it. Now anyone but them, montreal, detroit or boston next year! I don't think we have to worry about any of them tho (except maybe chicago again) :smile:
I will be Captain Obvious here - I think we can include Toronto on the list of teams that won't be contending for a Cup next year.
Or the year after that. So, you boys don't have to worry, it would totally be wasted effort. :lol:
(BTW, I like how you've already hedged expectations by saying you wouldn't be surprised if next year is awful for the Leafs and Babs.
Hahahaha...)
Why would a team under a complete rebuld be expected to compete for the Stanley Cup?
I will be Captain Obvious here - I think we can include Toronto on the list of teams that won't be contending for a Cup next year.
So, you boys don't have to worry, it would totally be wasted effort. :lol:
(BTW, I like how you've already hedged expectations by saying you wouldn't be surprised if next year is awful for the Leafs and Babs.
Weren't the habs the team paying Scotty Gomez $8 million a season at one time.....and who gave PK Subban (although possibly the 10th best defenceman in the NHL) an 8-year, $72 million contract next season? Unreal!!!! :lol:
p.s. Plus they're still paying Andrei Markov nearly $6 million a season for another two years. Unbelievable!
I don't think the Leafs, as they stand now, are as bad as their previous record indicated. People seem to forget that on the day Randy Carlyle was fired (likely for having the team playing too well), the Leafs were in a playoffs position. They replaced him with Peter Horachek, hoping the players would tune out and tank the rest of the season. They got rid of a few players who were still giving it their all (of course, they would be free agents the following season, so you can't blame them for this) and had they lost a few more games, the Leafs would be drafting Connor McDavid next week. The master plan almost worked!!!
Let me make a bold prediction: THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS, LED BY THE GREAT MIKE BABCOCK, WILL BE IN THE PLAYOFFS NEXT SEASON.
I don't think that's that bold. I wouldn't be shocked if Babs gets the Leafs into the playoffs next spring. I think Iggy is totally trying to manage expectations. :lol:
Babs plays a system. He doesn't need superior talent. Superior talent really makes it hum, but it's not a requirement. If you remember his Anaheim teams, minus Kariya and Selanne, it was a bunch of grinders and muckers. Hell, those two stars were centered by Steve Rucchin (?), who, gritty guy he was, was an entirely ordinary skill player. I have a hard time remembering any other notable players on those teams - Petr Sykora?, Andy McDonald??, Jason York?. Oh, Giguere, when he was good. They played a trap, not unlike what Detroit has been doing often the last few years. Suffocating, conservative hockey. The Leafs can resort to the same tactics, and still succeed with sub-par talent. If Babs could win with the scrubs he had in Anaheim, jokers like Phaneuf and Kessel should be good for something, no?
Babs plays a system. He doesn't need superior talent. Superior talent really makes it hum, but it's not a requirement. If you remember his Anaheim teams, minus Kariya and Selanne, it was a bunch of grinders and muckers. Hell, those two stars were centered by Steve Rucchin (?), who, gritty guy he was, was an entirely ordinary skill player. I have a hard time remembering any other notable players on those teams - Petr Sykora?, Andy McDonald??, Jason York?. Oh, Giguere, when he was good. They played a trap, not unlike what Detroit has been doing often the last few years. Suffocating, conservative hockey. The Leafs can resort to the same tactics, and still succeed with sub-par talent. If Babs could win with the scrubs he had in Anaheim, jokers like Phaneuf and Kessel should be good for something, no?
I did not say anything about not making the playoffs, but said they would not be expected to compete for the cup next year... i would also not be surprised if babs led them to the playoffs next season but at the same time i do not expect it. Geez i sound like a fence setter like someone else around here LOL !!!
Most experts around the NHL are totally aware that Dion Phaneuf is being used wrongly since his arrival in Toronto. He's not a true #1 defenceman, but more of a #2 or maybe a #3. He'd thrive if the Leafs had him playing less. He should be under 20 minutes a game, not 22 to 25 minutes. It also wouldn't hurt if someone else was the team captain. Give him an 'A', not the 'C'. That was a big mistake by Brian Burke when he named Phaneuf captain even before he had played a single game with the Leafs. Let him earn the honor and respect of his teammates. No need to rush him into the captaincy.
Kessel likely won't be around next season. The habs want him, but not if they have to outbid everyone else, which will likely be the case. But Kessel won't be able to play for Babcock. Babcock will have no tolerance for a one-dimensional player unless he gets a full commitment from Kessel, which would surprise many.
All Kessel needs to remain an elite scorer is a bonafide #1 center feeding him. His contract isn't a problem if he continues to produce. I don't care what happened after Randy Carlyle was fired. The entire team tuned out to Peter Horachek since they all knew he was only hired until the end of the season.
But for Kessel to stay at the top of his game, he has to commit to some serious off-ice conditioning and stay away from the fishing ponds. He's entering an age where he should be at the top of his game and to remain there, he has to be in great shape. He should just look at Dany Heatley and realize what happens to elite scorers when they refuse to remain in good shape and commit to a conditionning program.
Gomez came with the contract he signed with NY Rangers and for Subban I have no problem with is contract with the new TV contract kicking in the salary cap will be going up next year.
By the way you being a Maple Leaf fan how is the Phaneuf contract? just saying 7M / yr for still 5 years I'll take the PK deal anytime.
Men,
Funny, especially about the Stiffer. It would have been much funnier if you used that old super secret real bets stuff.
So what you are saying is the whole organization set out to cheat the fans and the league, and yet you Doc Holliday have gone on with a manic drive against so-called cheaters in Boston. Holy Geeeez almighty...HOW TWISTED. What a disgrace. :noidea:
He should be trade bait, too bad his $8 million salary makes that very difficult. If the top of his game is indeed a -34 it would be a test of "Babs" real dedication and wisdom to ditch this statue on blades. Riemsdyk and Bozak were also a respective -33 and -34. The team was 24th in scoring, 26th in goals against, 26th in power play, 22nd in penalty kills, their scoring differential was -51 at 27th (9 ranks below Bruins) and the best they could manage from week 16 on was a ranking of 26th. PEEEE Freaking UUUUU.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20142015&sort=standingsGoalDifferential&type=LEA
http://espn.go.com/nhl/team/rankings/_/name/tor/toronto-maple-leafs
As always. But with a team that hasn't sniffed the finals in 48 years, was supposed to be a Cup contender by the end of Burke, and had an epic choke with a 4 to 1 lead and only 10:00 minutes left against the Bruins no leafs fan can afford the endless emotional crushing of constant high expectations falling in the dust year after year. Nobody enjoys that much pain...unless you're a Leafs fan.
Cheers,
Merlot
Funny, especially about the Stiffer. It would have been much funnier if you used that old super secret real bets stuff.
So what you are saying is the whole organization set out to cheat the fans and the league, and yet you Doc Holliday have gone on with a manic drive against so-called cheaters in Boston. Holy Geeeez almighty...HOW TWISTED. What a disgrace. :noidea:
He should be trade bait, too bad his $8 million salary makes that very difficult. If the top of his game is indeed a -34 it would be a test of "Babs" real dedication and wisdom to ditch this statue on blades. Riemsdyk and Bozak were also a respective -33 and -34. The team was 24th in scoring, 26th in goals against, 26th in power play, 22nd in penalty kills, their scoring differential was -51 at 27th (9 ranks below Bruins) and the best they could manage from week 16 on was a ranking of 26th. PEEEE Freaking UUUUU.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/standings.htm?season=20142015&sort=standingsGoalDifferential&type=LEA
http://espn.go.com/nhl/team/rankings/_/name/tor/toronto-maple-leafs
As always. But with a team that hasn't sniffed the finals in 48 years, was supposed to be a Cup contender by the end of Burke, and had an epic choke with a 4 to 1 lead and only 10:00 minutes left against the Bruins no leafs fan can afford the endless emotional crushing of constant high expectations falling in the dust year after year. Nobody enjoys that much pain...unless you're a Leafs fan.
Cheers,
Merlot
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Yes, one of MANY "big mistakes by Brian Burke"...which is why a) his years with the Leafs produced nothing but absolute failure...even worse than his predecessor John Ferguson Jr., b) Burke was FIRED by the Leafs...and Burke-replica Nonis was ALSO later FIRED, and c) the Leafs ultimately became so dreadful that even the Koolaid drinkers noticed it, so that ownership had no choice but to SAY that they will blow everything up and start from scratch.
Agreed. After all, Kessel has proved he can't play for any coach. Boston couldn't wait to dump him on Toronto and then Ron Wilson, Randy Carlyle and even the great Peter Horachek all lost their jobs largely because of Kessel. Remember the Hockey News cover that showed a large close-up of Phil's unsmiling face and asked if he was a coach killer?
As for "one-dimensional", that was the best Phil ever was. Given his performance in the last half of the 14-15 season, maybe that should be changed to ZERO-dimensional.
Yes, thumbs up to a fine Chicago team.
Here is how the Original Six have performed since the post 67 expansion:
Cup Wins by the Original Six Since Expansion
Montreal 10
Detroit 4
Boston 3
Chicago 3
New York Rangers 1
Toronto ZERO
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