Playoff Hockey : Still a street fight. CANUCKS ARE YOU WATCHING ?

[oldnews]

Funny thing

 

the teams that are 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18th in heaviness in the league.....

 

they all made the playoffs.

 

 

There is the obvious formula!!!

 

You need to be near the top of the middle tier of 'heavy' to 'light' teams to truly be successful in today's NHL.

 

Luckily the Canucks are 19th - so they're right on the cusp of greatness if they can just eat a couple more cheeseburgers each.

[Nooks]

1 hour ago, PlanB said:

Your link is three years old now.

 

This is from this year:

https://theathletic.com/210035/2018/01/12/sizing-up-the-nhl-2017-18-nhl-teams-by-age-height-and-weight/

 

Of the top 10 tallest teams in the league only 2 are still playing.

Of the top 10 heaviest teams in the league only 3 are still playing.

Of the league's 10 shortest teams, 6 are still playing.

 

Interesting fact, without Chara BOS would be by far the smallest team in the league. 

 

Read the article, it dispels many myths of 'Big Boy' hockey. 

 

Team performance is very different than individual performance.

[Bertuzzi44ever]

Austin Matthews is so overrated.

 

He's never finished a season with 30 assists, 29 in both. On a top 5 team in scoring.

 

He has one point in 4 playoff games this year and Leaf fans claimed it was because of Bergeron. Then Riley Nash takes his spot and he does worse. 

 

Matthews has also been  brutal defensively which a lot of Leaf Fans claim is one of his best traits.

 

 

I would take Mark Scheifele, Jack Eichel, MAYBE even Boeser...over him. We'll see how Boeser's numbers look next year.

 

He can score as good as Auston so I don't see why he can't be as good.

 

If Eichel was a LEAF for example he'd be hailed as god almighty. 121 points in his last 128 games on the lowest scoring team, coming back from two sprained ankles. And he's 21. (Eichel)

 

 

These examples only prove that the Leafs are going to need a better forward then 69-63 pt Matthews to win the cup.

 

When was the last time a team won the cup without a forwad who hadn't ever passed 70 pts?

[alfstonker]

LA and the Ducks are out imo because:

 

LA are now a mediocre team with few of the players who won the SC and even the ones who are still there are older and less effective. Vegas took Doughty out of the game in terms of influence and LA were lost. Phaneuf is slow and stale. They went to plan B as all great teams do but found Vegas had a physical answer there too.

 

The Ducks are a miserable team now. They didn't peak with the acquisition of Kesler and if they did no one noticed because other teams in their conference had more skill, more speed and in particular a better D and net minder.

 

Neither of the above teams were particularly slow or lacked size imo - they lacked quality both in the net and at the back and their attacks were showing signs of age catching up with them. In a way they have emulated the Canucks after 2011. They should have cleaned house more effectively, took the penalty and waited to come back younger, stronger and faster. Perry should have been traded, he is a shadow of the player he was 3-4 years ago.

 

There is a lesson here for the Canucks, size is crucial if you are to take punishment as well as hand it out, speed and skill are key and any team hoping to make some noise in the SC better get a top net minder. There were times when Fluery kept Vegas in the game.

Why the Ducks left Miller out defeats me.

[mikeyman109]

4 hours ago, alfstonker said:

LA and the Ducks are out imo because:

 

LA are now a mediocre team with few of the players who won the SC and even the ones who are still there are older and less effective. Vegas took Doughty out of the game in terms of influence and LA were lost. Phaneuf is slow and stale. They went to plan B as all great teams do but found Vegas had a physical answer there too.

 

The Ducks are a miserable team now. They didn't peak with the acquisition of Kesler and if they did no one noticed because other teams in their conference had more skill, more speed and in particular a better D and net minder.

 

Neither of the above teams were particularly slow or lacked size imo - they lacked quality both in the net and at the back and their attacks were showing signs of age catching up with them. In a way they have emulated the Canucks after 2011. They should have cleaned house more effectively, took the penalty and waited to come back younger, stronger and faster. Perry should have been traded, he is a shadow of the player he was 3-4 years ago.

 

There is a lesson here for the Canucks, size is crucial if you are to take punishment as well as hand it out, speed and skill are key and any team hoping to make some noise in the SC better get a top net minder. There were times when Fluery kept Vegas in the game.

Why the Ducks left Miller out defeats me.

Alf I couldnt have written it better myself. LA is not the team it was, Anaheim is that much older and cannot keep up.

Have a look at what Winnipeg did to Minny and you see where the blend of Size with Skill comes in.I am looking forward to the Preds and Jets meeting up.

[oldnews]

10 hours ago, Bertuzzi44ever said:

Austin Matthews is so overrated.

 

He's never finished a season with 30 assists, 29 in both. On a top 5 team in scoring.

 

He has one point in 4 playoff games this year and Leaf fans claimed it was because of Bergeron. Then Riley Nash takes his spot and he does worse. 

 

Matthews has also been  brutal defensively which a lot of Leaf Fans claim is one of his best traits.

 

 

I would take Mark Scheifele, Jack Eichel, MAYBE even Boeser...over him. We'll see how Boeser's numbers look next year.

 

He can score as good as Auston so I don't see why he can't be as good.

 

If Eichel was a LEAF for example he'd be hailed as god almighty. 121 points in his last 128 games on the lowest scoring team, coming back from two sprained ankles. And he's 21. (Eichel)

 

 

These examples only prove that the Leafs are going to need a better forward then 69-63 pt Matthews to win the cup.

 

When was the last time a team won the cup without a forwad who hadn't ever passed 70 pts?

I agree that Matthews is over-rated - he's a Leaf lol - that's what they do.

 

But I don't think he's what's standing in the way of being a true contender.

 

For me, if you want to boil it down to one thing (aside from weak management/team building in general) - it's this (symptom of that):

 

Reilly Hainsey

Gardiner Zaitsev

Dermott Polak

 

Is that a blueline that would inspire anyone to go out and rent veteran forwards for a playoff run?

Wadr, I'd take our right side hands-down over that group - Tanev, Gudbranson, Stecher (Biega) - aiaec.

Zaitsev is ok - he takes too much flack from a relentlessly 'jingoing' Don Cherry - but aside from that, placeholders.

In addition, their best D prospect - Liljegren - aint gonna make that group any harder to play against.   Take out those two placeholders and you have a flyweight blueline without a shutdown element.  Beyond Liljegren, that's a lot of hope to pile on Eemeli Rasanen, or fas like Borgman and Rosen.  Nielsen will really have to uptrack to be considered a realistic NHL prospect.

Shoulda drafted a couple more defensemen with those delusional rental 2nds they wasted.

Built that 'contender' on a core of shiny forwards and haven't really added enough to their blueline since the Burke era.  

 

[189lb enforcers?]

Leafs are doing pretty damn good for being two years removed from the tank.

They’re still rebuilding the roster and at a pace ever similar to the Canucks; one first rounder and no seconds at a time.

 

What a double-standard, especially oldnews’. Don’t come back with calling me a Leaf fluffer, anything but that, ON. Hit above the belt. 

 

They haven't broke the bank yet or sold the farm. Sure, they’ve peaked a little too early, had some success, but their pool is still pretty good. They have the personality of Patty Marleau influencing their youth and emerging culture. So what if TSN is their own, personal CDC, it’s not the players’ doing. 

 

If giving up a second for Boyle was ‘bad management’, I can’t imagine what you’d call the Gudbrandson trade. 

 

AM doesn’t look himself out there. This much is plain to see. The team is young and some are still physically young. So what if they don’t win this year and have every element of their future roster in place?

 

They’re doing well for a Tank + 2 roster playing against the Bruins who are arguably the best team in the league. The Bruins have dominated their competition for most of the year. I’m not about to criticize the young Leafs for not fully showing up against Chara et al. Not after watching how the Sedins fared against him.

 

Double standards.

Sometimes this site embarrasses itself with its disdain for the Leafs/eastern bias.  

[IBatch]

22 hours ago, mikeyman109 said:

Alf I couldnt have written it better myself. LA is not the team it was, Anaheim is that much older and cannot keep up.

Have a look at what Winnipeg did to Minny and you see where the blend of Size with Skill comes in.I am looking forward to the Preds and Jets meeting up.

To me WNP is the best balanced team in the league....Minny actually was a decent team and they dismantled them.  

 

NSH will have their hands full, Rinne better stand on his head because the longer that series goes on the more bruised and beat up they will become.

 

Fluery did his best Roy impression in round one, by far the biggest reason LA couldn't win a game, Quick was a star too, but it wasn't enough.

 

SJ will get swept too if he keep it up.

 

 

[189lb enforcers?]

1 minute ago, IBatch said:

To me WNP is the best balanced team in the league....Minny actually was a decent team and they dismantled them.  

 

NSH will have their hands full, Rinne better stand on his head because the longer that series goes on the more bruised and beat up they will become.

 

Fluery did his best Roy impression in round one, by far the biggest reason LA couldn't win a game, Quick was a star too, but it wasn't enough.

 

SJ will get swept too if he keep it up.

 

 

My sentiments, as well. 

 

Thrilled to see the long-awaited emergence of Winterpeg and thrilled for their fans.

 

Their farm has some depth to it for call-ups. Maybe our Hockey News got it wrong predicting that the Jets would win the Cup when they said, but close enough. It’s their time. And what a brand to win... and watch.

 

I expect both Pittsburgh and Nashville to win today, creating some exciting matchups for the next ‘quickening’. Shalmeless Highlander reference. 

[IBatch]

On 2018-04-21 at 3:26 AM, Bertuzzi44ever said:

Austin Matthews is so overrated.

 

He's never finished a season with 30 assists, 29 in both. On a top 5 team in scoring.

 

He has one point in 4 playoff games this year and Leaf fans claimed it was because of Bergeron. Then Riley Nash takes his spot and he does worse. 

 

Matthews has also been  brutal defensively which a lot of Leaf Fans claim is one of his best traits.

 

 

I would take Mark Scheifele, Jack Eichel, MAYBE even Boeser...over him. We'll see how Boeser's numbers look next year.

 

He can score as good as Auston so I don't see why he can't be as good.

 

If Eichel was a LEAF for example he'd be hailed as god almighty. 121 points in his last 128 games on the lowest scoring team, coming back from two sprained ankles. And he's 21. (Eichel)

 

 

These examples only prove that the Leafs are going to need a better forward then 69-63 pt Matthews to win the cup.

 

When was the last time a team won the cup without a forwad who hadn't ever passed 70 pts?

You do know Mathews missed a lot of games this year right and was on pace for top ten in scoring as a sophomore prior to injuries derailing an otherwise good season?  You also know he faces the best opposition most nights, making him responsible for both scoring and keeping other teams top lines off the score sheet?  Marchands line was just as good as Kucherovs line was this year when he's healthy..making the pair the best lines in hockey right now...so a second year guy can't score when Bergeron is on the ice so he's a bust Har Har.  Sedins in their prime couldn't score either so we're they ovverated too?

 

Don't get me wrong, I hate the fact whenever the regional THN mag comes it has Leafs splattered all over the cover, Mathews a staple (don't know who they used from Vancouver on this year's yearbook given I live near Ottawa), he's a can't do wrong poster boy for sure, but you can't deny he's already a skilled center, at least top fifteen in the league, again as a sophomore.   

The people here feel the same way about Horvat as the Leaf fans do about Mathews.  When you really look at it he's a second line center, but we covet him like ten year pro who's a foregone conclusion for the C and probably a couple Selkes when he's not even close to a top face off guy (although he's very good at it, it is the only reason he came into the league so young).  

 

So what if he's not burning a hole in Rasks net.  Maybe he will next game.  Maybe he won't..  but he does deserve some props, he's one of the better players to enter the league the last two decades and isn't close to his prime yet.

[Alflives]

22 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

Leafs are doing pretty damn good for being two years removed from the tank.

They’re still rebuilding the roster and at a pace ever similar to the Canucks; one first rounder and no seconds at a time.

 

What a double-standard, especially oldnews’. Don’t come back with calling me a Leaf fluffer, anything but that, ON. Hit above the belt. 

 

They haven't broke the bank yet or sold the farm. Sure, they’ve peaked a little too early, had some success, but their pool is still pretty good. They have the personality of Patty Marleau influencing their youth and emerging culture. So what if TSN is their own, personal CDC, it’s not the players’ doing. 

 

If giving up a second for Boyle was ‘bad management’, I can’t imagine what you’d call the Gudbrandson trade. 

 

AM doesn’t look himself out there. This much is plain to see. The team is young and some are still physically young. So what if they don’t win this year and have every element of their future roster in place?

 

They’re doing well for a Tank + 2 roster playing against the Bruins who are arguably the best team in the league. The Bruins have dominated their competition for most of the year. I’m not about to criticize the young Leafs for not fully showing up against Chara et al. Not after watching how the Sedins fared against him.

 

Double standards.

Sometimes this site embarrasses itself with its disdain for the Leafs/eastern bias.  

Totally disagree with your Leafs stuff.  The Leafs are, as BART Simpson puts it, “the suckiest of the sucks”.  They suck.  Their young players suck, and their city sucks.

Their best players v the Bruins,  by far, have been Bozak and JVR.  Two guys who won’t be on their team next season, because the Laughs will overpay 

AM, WM, and MM.  The Leafs don’t make the playoffs next year.  

[Alflives]

On 2018-04-21 at 12:26 AM, Bertuzzi44ever said:

Austin Matthews is so overrated.

 

He's never finished a season with 30 assists, 29 in both. On a top 5 team in scoring.

 

He has one point in 4 playoff games this year and Leaf fans claimed it was because of Bergeron. Then Riley Nash takes his spot and he does worse. 

 

Matthews has also been  brutal defensively which a lot of Leaf Fans claim is one of his best traits.

 

 

I would take Mark Scheifele, Jack Eichel, MAYBE even Boeser...over him. We'll see how Boeser's numbers look next year.

 

He can score as good as Auston so I don't see why he can't be as good.

 

If Eichel was a LEAF for example he'd be hailed as god almighty. 121 points in his last 128 games on the lowest scoring team, coming back from two sprained ankles. And he's 21. (Eichel)

 

 

These examples only prove that the Leafs are going to need a better forward then 69-63 pt Matthews to win the cup.

 

When was the last time a team won the cup without a forwad who hadn't ever passed 70 pts?

AM is definitely overrated, as are all the Leafs young players.  It’s the Leaf’s propaganda machine spewing out crap that’s the cause of it.  It’s all going to come back to bite them in the rear.  Those young players are going to demand big dollars.  Big dollars that they don’t deserve.  Matthews will get 12.5 same as McDavid, because the propaganda machine says he’s as good.  Then they will overpay WN and MM.  They will tie up 30 million in Cap on these three players, and it will kill their team for a decade, and all because of their lying propaganda machine.  Remember how great the Oilers were, not so long ago, with their three young OVERPAID stars?  The Leafs are following the same path to LOSERVILLE.  #Hate the friggin Leafs.

[riffraff]

37 minutes ago, Alflives said:

AM is definitely overrated, as are all the Leafs young players.  It’s the Leaf’s propaganda machine spewing out crap that’s the cause of it.  It’s all going to come back to bite them in the rear.  Those young players are going to demand big dollars.  Big dollars that they don’t deserve.  Matthews will get 12.5 same as McDavid, because the propaganda machine says he’s as good.  Then they will overpay WN and MM.  They will tie up 30 million in Cap on these three players, and it will kill their team for a decade, and all because of their lying propaganda machine.  Remember how great the Oilers were, not so long ago, with their three young OVERPAID stars?  The Leafs are following the same path to LOSERVILLE.  #Hate the friggin Leafs.

 

[Positive Canuck]

1 hour ago, IBatch said:

To me WNP is the best balanced team in the league....Minny actually was a decent team and they dismantled them.  

 

NSH will have their hands full, Rinne better stand on his head because the longer that series goes on the more bruised and beat up they will become.

 

Fluery did his best Roy impression in round one, by far the biggest reason LA couldn't win a game, Quick was a star too, but it wasn't enough.

 

SJ will get swept too if he keep it up.

 

 

The Winnipeg Jets have been a lot of fun to watch for the last couple years.
They can play it anyway you want it.
Best fanbase in The Show.

[IBatch]

On 2018-04-21 at 3:26 AM, Bertuzzi44ever said:

Austin Matthews is so overrated.

 

He's never finished a season with 30 assists, 29 in both. On a top 5 team in scoring.

 

He has one point in 4 playoff games this year and Leaf fans claimed it was because of Bergeron. Then Riley Nash takes his spot and he does worse. 

 

Matthews has also been  brutal defensively which a lot of Leaf Fans claim is one of his best traits.

 

 

I would take Mark Scheifele, Jack Eichel, MAYBE even Boeser...over him. We'll see how Boeser's numbers look next year.

 

He can score as good as Auston so I don't see why he can't be as good.

 

If Eichel was a LEAF for example he'd be hailed as god almighty. 121 points in his last 128 games on the lowest scoring team, coming back from two sprained ankles. And he's 21. (Eichel)

 

 

These examples only prove that the Leafs are going to need a better forward then 69-63 pt Matthews to win the cup.

 

When was the last time a team won the cup without a forwad who hadn't ever passed 70 pts?

You do know Mathews missed a lot of games this year right and was on pace for top ten in scoring as a sophomore prior to injuries derailing an otherwise good season?  You also know he faces the best opposition most nights, making him responsible for both scoring and keeping other teams top lines off the score sheet?  Marchands line was just as good as Kucherovs line was this year when he's healthy..making the pair the best lines in hockey right now...so a second year guy can't score when Bergeron is on the ice so he's a bust Har Har.  Sedins in their prime couldn't score either so we're they ovverated too?

 

Don't get me wrong, I hate the fact whenever the regional THN mag comes it has Leaf players splattered all over the cover, Mathews a staple (don't know who they used from Vancouver on this year's yearbook give I live near Ottawa), he's a can't do wrong poster boy for sure, but you can't deny he's already a skilled center, at least top fifteen in the league, again as a sophomore.   The way people here feel about Horvat here is much different.

[spook007]

3 hours ago, Alflives said:

AM is definitely overrated, as are all the Leafs young players.  It’s the Leaf’s propaganda machine spewing out crap that’s the cause of it.  It’s all going to come back to bite them in the rear.  Those young players are going to demand big dollars.  Big dollars that they don’t deserve.  Matthews will get 12.5 same as McDavid, because the propaganda machine says he’s as good.  Then they will overpay WN and MM.  They will tie up 30 million in Cap on these three players, and it will kill their team for a decade, and all because of their lying propaganda machine.  Remember how great the Oilers were, not so long ago, with their three young OVERPAID stars?  The Leafs are following the same path to LOSERVILLE.  #Hate the friggin Leafs.

 

[komodo0921]

On 2018-04-15 at 11:19 AM, Positive Canuck said:

Watching the playoffs and its been some absolute savagery going on ice in some of these series.
I really hope the Canucks brass are watching Winnipeg - Minnesota ,  Boston - Toronto , Anaheim - San Jose etc......

Playoff hockey is still heavy ASF.

Tryamkin.
Come back.
Sign Kane
Draft B.Tkachuk

 

Big Buff in Winnipeg is destroying people.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/nightmare-dustin-byfuglien-will-change-way-think/

Kadri Toronto 

 

 

 

If your Euros can do this ..........then bring them on........Forsberg 

 

 

If you can't beat 'em in the alley, you can't beat 'em on the ice ~ Conn Smythe

 

 

I 100% agree.

Speed and skill can win regular season battles, but if it doesn't come with a willingness to get greasy and. maybe, a little bloody, speed and skill will not be enough to win a cup.

Even players like Crosby and McDavid get dirty come post-season and, like it or not, are key reasons why Crosby, so far, has been a playoff success.

The fact is that, as Crosby's game gets grittier his determination becomes greater. It's what makes him who he is. 

I'm not a big fan of Crosby but I do respect his determination.

This is the biggest reason I'm hoping Gadjovich turns into something. He has that greasy aspect to his game and, on occasion, is a willing combatant.

It's for this reason I want the 2018 draft to be about addressing this need, as well as about adding skill. It's the reason I keep mentioning prospects like Brady Tkachuk, Bode Wilde, and K'Andre Miller. All three have what we need. 

I think this draft class has the potential to be one of the best, ever and I would like to see us get another 1st round pick.

The problem is, I don't see JB being able to get one. We have the assets but JB seems to lack the salesman persona and the willingness to make it happen.

My expectation is that JB will do the simple thing and take the bpa. 

Of course, if that happens to be Dahlin, I'm not complaining.

[Positive Canuck]

1 hour ago, komodo0921 said:

I 100% agree.

Speed and skill can win regular season battles, but if it doesn't come with a willingness to get greasy and. maybe, a little bloody, speed and skill will not be enough to win a cup.

Even players like Crosby and McDavid get dirty come post-season and, like it or not, are key reasons why Crosby, so far, has been a playoff success.

The fact is that, as Crosby's game gets grittier his determination becomes greater. It's what makes him who he is. 

I'm not a big fan of Crosby but I do respect his determination.

This is the biggest reason I'm hoping Gadjovich turns into something. He has that greasy aspect to his game and, on occasion, is a willing combatant.

It's for this reason I want the 2018 draft to be about addressing this need, as well as about adding skill. It's the reason I keep mentioning prospects like Brady Tkachuk, Bode Wilde, and K'Andre Miller. All three have what we need. 

I think this draft class has the potential to be one of the best, ever and I would like to see us get another 1st round pick.

The problem is, I don't see JB being able to get one. We have the assets but JB seems to lack the salesman persona and the willingness to make it happen.

My expectation is that JB will do the simple thing and take the bpa. 

Of course, if that happens to be Dahlin, I'm not complaining.

Playoffs is no place for pacifism.
Totally agree with you.

 

[oldnews]

8 hours ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

What a double-standard

it's really ironic that the stockplle pickz crew flip flop like this and apologize for premature rentals with "they haven't broke the bank yet."   er, comparing a Boyle rental to acquiring a 24 yr old Gudbranson.  You're really stretching to rationalize here.

so the narrative is now that the Leafs are "stil rebuilding" eh?   even more ironic.

In the context of all the pick hysteria around here - simply not sure if you're serious.

not your best work 189.  if we're being real, you just fluffed a little too hard prematurely

 

[189lb enforcers?]

1 hour ago, oldnews said:

it's really ironic that the stockplle pickz crew flip flop like this and apologize for premature rentals with "they haven't broke the bank yet."   er, comparing a Boyle rental to acquiring a 24 yr old Gudbranson.  You're really stretching to rationalize here.

so the narrative is now that the Leafs are "stil rebuilding" eh?   even more ironic.

In the context of all the pick hysteria around here - simply not sure if you're serious.

not your best work 189.  if we're being real, you just fluffed a little too hard prematurely

 

Not in a million years, did I envision myself proping up the freakin’ Leafs, but look at me go. 

Am I serious, I don’t know. It’s a bit of non-playoff sickness maybe. I’m just rambling at this point.