The OFFICIAL 2008-09 NHL Playoffs Thread

[DataKing]

Dola...awful defensive support by Brind'Amour on that Lucic goal.

[Honolulu_Blue]

It's not going to get any easier...

The Wings go from Hiller to Khabibhulin, who's been playing great.

Getzlaf and Perry to Kane and Toewes.

Niedermayer and Pronger to Keith and Seabrook.

It'll be fun to get the Detroit-Chicago rivalry back on track. It's been dormant for far, far too long. They were my first most hated team back when I was 12-13.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by bhlloy

CR - I'm firmly in the a) camp although I can't help thinking what might have been now. When you think how many young players the Ducks have, I'm really excited for the future. I see this group winning another cup within 3 years. It's been a fun postseason and great experience.

I am excited, too, with some of the young talent we have here. Perry, Getzlaf and Ryan is already one of the best lines in hockey. Whitney and Beauchemin (assuming we do what we can to keep him) and Wisniewski, while none of them Prongs or Niedermayer, are all very solid D-men. And Hiller's amazing.

But HB is right, we have to do something about the second line. Ebbett's a nice start, but I'm still not sure how good he is on his own, without some of the talent with whom he has played. We have drafted well, IMO, under Burke, as he took a page from Belichek and traded down a ton to get a lot of talent in the system. But there's a gulf right now between those players arriving, and where we are now. Will we deal Prongs? Jiggy? Will some of the older vets come back?

And if not, if we end up with all the cap room that gives us, what do we do with it? Buy a couple costly forwards to get a second line? Not sure.

I am cautiously optimistic. But there are a lot of questions facing this franchise right now in the near future.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by DataKing

*cough*Pronger*cough*

Heh...if it matters any, I hate Holmstrom and Chelios almost as much as you no doubt hate Pronger.

[Dr. Sak]

Since the team I rooted for in Round 1 lost...and same goes in Round 2....I say this loudly for the Conference Finals....

LETS GO PENS
LETS GO PENS
LETS GO PENS

[johnnyshaka]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

LOL Hiller is a terrible actor. It was for sure a penalty on Hudler but he acted like he was re-enacting the JFK assassination with how he went down.

Just curious, after seeing the replay, do you still think Hudler deserved that penalty? Did Pronger's crosscheck have anything to do with the "interference"?

[DataKing]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Heh...if it matters any, I hate Holmstrom and Chelios almost as much as you no doubt hate Pronger.

Certainly understandable. And to be completely honest, my hatred of Pronger really has nothing at all to do with the Ducks. It stems back to his days in st. Louis, when he was a persistent and constant thorn on the Wings' collective sides.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I am excited, too, with some of the young talent we have here. Perry, Getzlaf and Ryan is already one of the best lines in hockey. Whitney and Beauchemin (assuming we do what we can to keep him) and Wisniewski, while none of them Prongs or Niedermayer, are all very solid D-men. And Hiller's amazing.

But HB is right, we have to do something about the second line. Ebbett's a nice start, but I'm still not sure how good he is on his own, without some of the talent with whom he has played. We have drafted well, IMO, under Burke, as he took a page from Belichek and traded down a ton to get a lot of talent in the system. But there's a gulf right now between those players arriving, and where we are now. Will we deal Prongs? Jiggy? Will some of the older vets come back?

And if not, if we end up with all the cap room that gives us, what do we do with it? Buy a couple costly forwards to get a second line? Not sure.

I am cautiously optimistic. But there are a lot of questions facing this franchise right now in the near future.

Yeah, secondary scoring was the one thing that this team lacks. Other than Selanne, there really was no one who was all that dangerous or threatening in the entire series.

Depending on the cap space available, it would be spent wisely on building a second scoring line of some sort. A little offense from another line would help take the pressure off that monster (thanks Pierre!) top line.

If Burke was still there I would suggest the Sedins.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by DataKing

Certainly understandable. And to be completely honest, my hatred of Pronger really has nothing at all to do with the Ducks. It stems back to his days in st. Louis, when he was a persistent and constant thorn on the Wings' collective sides.

I never really hated Pronger during his St. Louis days, especially since the Wings always beat them in the playoffs. It really started after he joined Edmonton and carried on from there.

I also hate Correy Perry. He's a back-stabbing little rat. Despicable. Getzlaf just looks like a total frat boy asshole.

But it's pretty hard to hate Selanne or Scott Niedermayer (that elbow on Datsyuk aside) or Marchant and a bunch of their other guys. It's just those few rotten apples is all.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Well, if last night's Game 7 was horrible for the NHL, tonight's games have to be the greatest thing ever!

A couple of great games.

I do not envy Bruins or Canes fans here. At all.

[Galaxy]

Great game.

[DataKing]

I sincerely hope our resident Bruins and Canes fans haven't had to listen to Pierre for this entire series.

[Draft Dodger]

Originally Posted by DataKing

I sincerely hope our resident Bruins and Canes fans haven't had to listen to Pierre for this entire series.

I can't wait until he gets a GM job

[Tekneek]

It seems a little cheesy that Versus is showing a TSN feed for a game between two US-based teams.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ouch.

[Galaxy]

Nice hit.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ward looked like a hitter fighting off an 0-2 pitch on his fists right there, got enough to foul it off & stay alive.

[sterlingice]

Post!

SI

[Galaxy]

Wow...

[DaddyTorgo]

suckass...way to blow Bruins

[Honolulu_Blue]

SUCKER PUNCH

[Galaxy]

WTF was Thomas doing?

[sterlingice]

Wow. There it goes

SI

[Tekneek]

Nice shot of Cam Neely.

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

WTF was Thomas doing?

Now that I have seen replays, it looks like he was trying to bat it away with his stick. Bad habit some goalies have gotten into...not making the safe play.

[samifan24]

I hate the Carolina franchise.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

Now that I have seen replays, it looks like he was trying to bat it away with his stick. Bad habit some goalies have gotten into...not making the safe play.

Seemed like an easy, routine save to make.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by Galaxy

Seemed like an easy, routine save to make.

Thomas was giving up terrible rebounds and lunging around all game long.

[muns]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

True. This wasn't a series for pretty goals.

If you want that frilly shit, go watch Pittsburgh.

you bastard

[Logan]

That was an awesome night of hockey.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

Now that I have seen replays, it looks like he was trying to bat it away with his stick. Bad habit some goalies have gotten into...not making the safe play.

It's the same thing Cam Ward did on the tying goal.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by DataKing

I sincerely hope our resident Bruins and Canes fans haven't had to listen to Pierre for this entire series.

Canes fans get John Forslund and Tripp Tracy, at least when FSC deigns to show a game (at least they've shown all the playoff games, and some of them were even in HD ). Versus has only shown the Canes when they've had no other option so far these playoffs...

The next time the NHL tries to claim they call the games throughout, they need to show the last few minutes of the third period and all of overtime of that game when the refs completely swallowed their whistles. I think the Canes were very lucky to get through the couple of minutes where the Bruins had figured this out but Carolina hadn't yet.

And that was a thrilling overtime period with both teams crashing the other net and neither playing it safe. Sooner or later someone was going to get the bounce, and I'm happy it was Carolina, but it could have gone either way. What a nice finish to the series. I did not think Carolina really stood a chance against Boston, so these playoffs are going nicely...

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

suckass...way to blow Bruins

I told you the Bruins wouldn't make the finals DT.

[bbor]

Great F'N hockey

That's all i have to say.

[watravaler]

Originally Posted by gstelmack

The next time the NHL tries to claim they call the games throughout, they need to show the last few minutes of the third period and all of overtime of that game when the refs completely swallowed their whistles. I think the Canes were very lucky to get through the couple of minutes where the Bruins had figured this out but Carolina hadn't yet.

Agreed, but it was fun to watch. Rules are the rules, no doubt, but that was drive/determination/effort/etc..at its absolute best, and the main reason I love hockey. I hate the wink-wink the NHL spews regarding the matter, but it's never going to change.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by watravaler

Agreed, but it was fun to watch. Rules are the rules, no doubt, but that was drive/determination/effort/etc..at its absolute best, and the main reason I love hockey. I hate the wink-wink the NHL spews regarding the matter, but it's never going to change.

For me it was a mixed bag. I was glad to see both teams go all out, but also hated everytime someone got hung up on a breakaway. I think in the end it was a wash.

Not really complaining, it was just an observation about how blatant it was vs. the NHL's typical public stance on it.

[DeToxRox]

Okay predictions ..

Detroit over Chicago in 6

I think Chicago puts up a fight like Pittsburgh did last year with a young team, but this is a perfect team for Detroit to face. I expect it to get ugly at times and lead to some real fun next year.

Carolina over Pittsburgh in 7.

Since the playoffs started Carolina has just been bringing it. I think they get enough defense to keep Crosby and Malkin in check as much as those two can be held in check, and Cam Ward steals 2 games to send us to a 2002 rematch.

[DeToxRox]

Dola, the WCF schedule is so terrible. I hate all these 3 day breaks between games.

[Fidatelo]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

Dola, the WCF schedule is so terrible. I hate all these 3 day breaks between games.

This is how the NHL destroys the playoffs every year. They build up all this awesome momentum in rounds 1 and 2, then they string out the games for the last 2 rounds and have half of them on weekend afternoons. If these things go 7 games we aren't even _starting_ the finals until the 3rd or 4th of June. I love hockey, but who the fuck wants to sit inside on a saturday or sunday afternoon in May or June to watch hockey?

[Logan]

The good thing about not many people I know following hockey is that I can DVR the games and wait to watch at a convenient time without it being ruined.

[Peregrine]

I've got my tickets for Game 3 in Raleigh - should be awesome.

[DataKing]

I'm considering buying tickets for game 3 or 4 in Chicago...probably get mugged when I show up wearing a Wings jersey though.

Edit: Nevermind. I'd love to go to a game, but I'm not shelling out $220 per ticket. I'd just as soon spend the cash on lapdances during intermission.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Fidatelo

This is how the NHL destroys the playoffs every year. They build up all this awesome momentum in rounds 1 and 2, then they string out the games for the last 2 rounds and have half of them on weekend afternoons. If these things go 7 games we aren't even _starting_ the finals until the 3rd or 4th of June. I love hockey, but who the fuck wants to sit inside on a saturday or sunday afternoon in May or June to watch hockey?

If the May weather is what we've had for the last couple of days, I'm fine with that. haha. But really, I agree with you too. I forget which year it was, but I was a young kid watching the finals (maybe Canadiens/Kings), and the window for the front door was open, sun coming in... birds chirping, so nice and warm... and I'm inside watching the finals. The nice weather own out in the end and I ended up missing some of that series.

As for the playoffs this year, I'd like Chicago and Pittsburgh.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Well, after surviving Carolina and Washington, I'm looking forward to seeing how the Devils do in the playoffs against division rival Pittsburgh.

Oh.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Pumpy Tudors

Well, after surviving Carolina and Washington, I'm looking forward to seeing how the Devils do in the playoffs against division rival Pittsburgh.

Oh.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

I am excited, too, with some of the young talent we have here. Perry, Getzlaf and Ryan is already one of the best lines in hockey. Whitney and Beauchemin (assuming we do what we can to keep him) and Wisniewski, while none of them Prongs or Niedermayer, are all very solid D-men. And Hiller's amazing.

But HB is right, we have to do something about the second line. Ebbett's a nice start, but I'm still not sure how good he is on his own, without some of the talent with whom he has played. We have drafted well, IMO, under Burke, as he took a page from Belichek and traded down a ton to get a lot of talent in the system. But there's a gulf right now between those players arriving, and where we are now. Will we deal Prongs? Jiggy? Will some of the older vets come back?

And if not, if we end up with all the cap room that gives us, what do we do with it? Buy a couple costly forwards to get a second line? Not sure.

I am cautiously optimistic. But there are a lot of questions facing this franchise right now in the near future.

How did the ex-Pens turn out? Wasn't Christensen playing some on the 2nd line?

Kunitz was red hot in the regular season, snake bitten so far in the playoffs. He's still playing hard, but has no goals, 7 assts and is a minus player.

I still this turns out to be a win-win trade, possibly even tilted toward the Pens, we haven't seen Tangradi yet.

[Suburban Rhythm]

Dola

Prediction time

I look at Carolina and don't see anything that jumps out at me. Pitkanen isn't really a #1 guy, more of a #2. I like Gleason, and the other guys are good not great. I guess similar to their Cup year, seems like those guys are mostly interchangeable. Again, no #1 guy, but a #2, and a bunch of #3/4 types.

Up front, Staal has always been a Penguin killer. Will be interesting in games 1 and 2, with home ice, if Jordan and the 3rd line (with Cooke and Kennedy) are matched against Eric and the top line. After Staal, nobody really jumps out at me. There are a few players who have traditionally played well against Pittsburgh (Brindy and Samsonov). I mentioned to Sak earlier, Samsonov is exactly the type of player who seems to always step up against the Pens-- 2nd line, a little under the radar, but talented, and sometimes overlooked.

Ward is scary. He, IMO, will make or break the series. I think overall, the Penguins are the more talented team, but hot goaltending breaks that.

Still, I go with the homer vote: Pittsburgh in 6

Detroit I think was tested a little more than expected last round, but found a way to win. And they've done all of this with Datsyuk providing little offense. They are still, 1-20, the deepest team in the league. Guys like Franzen would see top D pairings nightly on every other team, but get great matchups against other pairings, and take advantage. I know I shouldn't but I still am questioning Osgood, but he's be light years better than he was 2 months ago.

Chicago reminds me alot of the 06-07 Pens, or 07-08 Caps, each which lost in Round 1 that year. Young and skilled up front (not quite to Pens level, but deeper), solid on D (edge to Chicago in comparison to Pittsburgh here) and a former Cup winner in goal (no longer a premier talent, but experience edge over Fleury). Seemed like a team that at the beginning of the playoffs was just happy to get in.

I don't want to pick the obvious and point towards a rematch...but I am.
Detroit in 6

[bhlloy]

Originally Posted by Suburban Rhythm

How did the ex-Pens turn out? Wasn't Christensen playing some on the 2nd line?

Kunitz was red hot in the regular season, snake bitten so far in the playoffs. He's still playing hard, but has no goals, 7 assts and is a minus player.

I still this turns out to be a win-win trade, possibly even tilted toward the Pens, we haven't seen Tangradi yet.

Both have been pretty inconsistent so far IMO. Whitney has shown flashes of his offensive brilliance (when he's having one of those games where he's hitting all those crisp passes, he's dangerous and the power play really goes) but I wish he'd be a bit more physical.

Christensen is an enigma - he is clearly talented, but he also misses a lot of easy plays and just needs to shoot the damn puck sometimes. He's very easily pushed around and seems pretty unwilling to crash the net or work in the corners. For that reason, I don't see him staying on a Carlyle coached team for very long.

I think Pittsburgh will get the better of the trade long term because I really like Tangradi as a prospect, but I also think it was a move the Ducks needed to make. Kunitz just wasn't performing any more for whatever reason here.

[samifan24]

I'm rooting for the Blackhawks now. Oh, and Mark Recchi had surgery for a kidney stone the day before game seven and played in game seven. He also played with broken ribs. What a guy.

[gstelmack]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

I've got my tickets for Game 3 in Raleigh - should be awesome.

My son has watched a bit of the playoffs with me and has asked to go to a game. Now my daughter wants to go, too. So I checked. Cheapest price for 4 tickets: $175 + $22 TicketMaster extortion. Each. So I'm looking at $800 BEFORE parking, hot dogs / popcorn, and souvenirs. Makes going to the circus or Disney On Ice look cheap.

So we'll take in a game early next season...