NHL Playoffs 2016

[Spliff]

Originally Posted by Trevor3

I'm not a fan of the draft lottery, I really think if you finish last you should just get the pick. Tank? Fine. You're the one that has to do with terrible attendance and losing money. It's business.

If that were the case, Edmonton would pick: 2nd this year; 3rd last year; 3rd in 2014; 7th in 2013; 2nd in 2012; 1st in 2011; 1st in 2010; 10th in 2009. So 2 top picks in 7 years so far - we'll see what happens this evening. Instead they landed 4 thanks to the lottery and stayed stationary in 2014, 2013 and 2009. Twice as many top picks for a single team in order to avoid "tanking".

Instead they picked 1st in 2015, 3rd 2014, 7th in 2013, 1st in 2012/2011/2010, 10th in 2009.

I actually hope the Oilers win the lottery (I'm a Leafs fan, surprisingly) just so we can watch them squander another incredibly talented player and the NHL can see how dumb this lottery set-up is. They'll tank with or without a lottery, as long as bottom feeders have better odds at better picks there will be tanking. They only way to truly get rid of it would be to equalize the whole thing and give everybody who misses the playoffs an equal shot at #1 - which would be absurd in its own way.

How many incredibly talented players have the leafs squandered during the past 10 years? Or should I say past 50 years?

[Spliff]

Originally Posted by Andy6

The Jets are completely stacked now. Maybe one more year of seasoning and then Winnipeg's 115+ year Stanley Cup drought ends.

Completely stacked? They lost Ladd, have suspect goaltending, their defence is good but not mobile enough and .... they struggle to score. But because they might draft an 18 year old sniper who has never played North American hockey before, they are now "completely stacked".

Right.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by Spliff

Completely stacked? They lost Ladd, have suspect goaltending, their defence is good but not mobile enough and .... they struggle to score. But because they might draft an 18 year old sniper who has never played North American hockey before, they are now "completely stacked".

Right.

Adding Laine to Scheifele, Ehlers and Connor, on top of Wheeler and Little, and then also having a host of other top prospects and young guys like Petan, Armia, Dano and Lemieux, with Hellebuyck about to take over in net ... sorry, that's stacked.

[Mister F]

Originally Posted by Spliff

How many incredibly talented players have the leafs squandered during the past 10 years? Or should I say past 50 years?

The teams of the last 10 or 50 years didn't have Shanahan, Lamoriello, Hunter, and Babcock leading the way. They've completely remade the entire front office staff, including most of their scouting staff, in the last two years. None of the management who squandered all those talented players are there anymore. They've been replaced with some of the best talent available. Whether the Leafs turn into a contender remains to be seen, but looking at the last 10 or even 50 years tells you nothing about the current team.

[TownGuy]

Not only that but to answer his question the Leafs haven't squandered away too much. They lost guys like Rask and Steen but those were late first round guys not top end sure fire picks (when drafted). The Oilers have drafted 1st, 1st, 1st, 7th, 3rd, 1st and they were still awful this year. That's unprecedented. The Leafs arguably have a better young prospect pool than the Oilers and they've had much worse positions in the draft. Obviously Edmonton has McDavid but he's almost impossible to screw up.

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Not only that but to answer his question the Leafs haven't squandered away too much. They lost guys like Rask and Steen but those were late first round guys not top end sure fire picks (when drafted). The Oilers have drafted 1st, 1st, 1st, 7th, 3rd, 1st and they were still awful this year. That's unprecedented. The Leafs arguably have a better young prospect pool than the Oilers and they've had much worse positions in the draft. Obviously Edmonton has McDavid but he's almost impossible to screw up.

Really hard to predict the future, but nice to see everyone sharing their opinions. Everyone has one, just like......... All I can say it sure has been a pleasure watching the Maple Laughs and the Coilers suck so badly and consistently over the last 10 years.

[Brizzy82]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Adding Laine to Scheifele, Ehlers and Connor, on top of Wheeler and Little, and then also having a host of other top prospects and young guys like Petan, Armia, Dano and Lemieux, with Hellebuyck about to take over in net ... sorry, that's stacked.

Absolutely! Exciting times.

(sidenote: I've been lurking on HFboards for years and just realized that you post there as well )

[Spliff]

Originally Posted by Mister F

The teams of the last 10 or 50 years didn't have Shanahan, Lamoriello, Hunter, and Babcock leading the way. They've completely remade the entire front office staff, including most of their scouting staff, in the last two years. None of the management who squandered all those talented players are there anymore. They've been replaced with some of the best talent available. Whether the Leafs turn into a contender remains to be seen, but looking at the last 10 or even 50 years tells you nothing about the current team.

And ... the Oilers teams of the last 10 years didn't have Chiarelli, MacClelland and Bob Nicholson. They've completely remade their entire front office staff.

The Oilers have sucked for the past decade no doubt, but so have the leafs. Also, the leafs have had the luxury of playing in the eastern conference.

[Spliff]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Not only that but to answer his question the Leafs haven't squandered away too much. They lost guys like Rask and Steen but those were late first round guys not top end sure fire picks (when drafted). The Oilers have drafted 1st, 1st, 1st, 7th, 3rd, 1st and they were still awful this year. That's unprecedented. The Leafs arguably have a better young prospect pool than the Oilers and they've had much worse positions in the draft. Obviously Edmonton has McDavid but he's almost impossible to screw up.

Leafs haven't squandered away much? How about all the picks given up for Kessel? What happened to Kessel - he's looking good these days - Leafs still paying a huge part of his salary? The leafs, like the Oilers, have had horrible management until recently and they have done what most bottom dwelling teams do - poor drafting and development, poor pro scouting, and losing most of the trades they take part in.

Its amazing how smug Leafs fans are after just finishing last in the league and embarking on a rebuild, which are not easy and can take a lot of patience. We'll see how young Austin does in the maniacal press fish bowl which is Toronto. Also, eastern conference should be getting tougher in the near future.

Good luck TO.

I can still remember a cup run in 2006, which was fabulous, and am hoping for another one in the near future. Leafs cup run? Hasn't happened since 1967 when there were still 6 teams in the league. I've been an Oil fan since 1976 and seen 7 cup runs and 5 victories. If the Leafs ever made the cup the CBC and TSN would blow up from overheating and Jeff O'Neil would have a hemmorage from overexcitement. Thats why everyone in Canada outside TO can't stand the leafs.

[HomeInMyShoes]

^They don't actually have to play him. Coach and management should be fired for that pattern. Admit you overpaid for him and buy out the contract or trade him for a sack of pucks. There was no winning hockey games or building for the future reason to play him for more games than either of your other options outside of injuries and even then I probably would have gone with a goalie I was trying to develop rather than that option.

Looks like I was right with my prediction for the Caps/Pens series. Unfortunately. It sucks that this one wasn't the Eastern Conference final, but those are the breaks. In the end you need to beat everyone you play.

[harls]

Last chance for Ovi.

(according to CBC).

[kirjtc2]

The narrative's been dead wrong, Ovi has outplayed Crosby all series long. It's just that our 2nd and 3rd lines haven't shown up at all and we've run into Yet Another Goalie Playing Out of His Freaking Mind (YAGPOOHFM).

[HomeInMyShoes]

Goaltending: tt's what happens in the playoffs.

Is San Jose really cursed? Game 5 will probably tell us a lot.

[HomeInMyShoes]

Saddened that Washington lost, but Pittsburgh was the team that would beat them in the East.

Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay is an interesting matchup for the Eastern final.

Game 7 Dallas/St. Louis tonight. Hard to gauge where this ends up.

And Game 7 tomorrow for San Jose. In a series where the home team has won every game which is an oddity in the NHL these days.

[Horus]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Saddened that Washington lost, but Pittsburgh was the team that would beat them in the East.

Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay is an interesting matchup for the Eastern final.

Game 7 Dallas/St. Louis tonight. Hard to gauge where this ends up.

And Game 7 tomorrow for San Jose. In a series where the home team has won every game which is an oddity in the NHL these days.

Pittsburgh continues to be the hottest team in the league since mid-March, going 14-2 to end the season (From March 11 onward) and now 8-3 in the playoffs. They are really clicking along right now. I wouldn't want to be Tampa Bay.

The Kessel - Bonino - Hagelin line has been smoking hot too and has spread out the offense beyond Crosby's and Malkin's lines. So many weapons.

I agree - tonight's game between Dallas and St. Louis is tough to call. I'd prefer St. Louis to go on, but regardless of this outcome, and the SJ-NAS outcome, the West final is gonna be a barnburner.

[Calgarian]

Go Dallas, we want another 1st round pick!

[HomeInMyShoes]

My old home town lucks out.

6-1 being outshot 32-19? And with blocks at 34-5, that's probably closer to 2:1 overall. Losing 60% of the faceoffs. Cripes Dallas. Is your goaltending really that terrible?

Lehtonen: 3 goals on 8 shots
Niemi: 2 goals on 10 shots
Empty: 1 goal on 1 shot

Well we're gauranteed to have a team that hasn't won a Stanley Cup representing the West.

[JHikka]

Unfortunate bounces for Dallas in that first period. I'm trying not to fault Lehtonen but the three that got past him, plus the one disallowed, weren't very good goals for him to be giving up. St. Louis has to be the favourite in the West right now. Should be a terrific game 7 tonight in San Jose.

[Calgarian]

Originally Posted by Surrealplaces

Glad to see St Louis win, even though the Flames have to settle for a second round pick because of it. Dallas' pick would have been a very late pick anyway.

It sucks to see Washington out, I'm full on routing for St Louis now. Unfortunately something tells me it will be either Pittsburgh or TB winning it all this year.

I'm going to cheer for St Louis now I think.

[MonctonRad]

With Washington gone and St Louis carrying on, my choice is clear too.

Go Blues!!!!

You've been in the league since 1967, it's time for a Cup!!