The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

[CR7]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

That Pens/Flames game was the best game I've been to all year.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Have barely watched since the WBC started and I tune in today and realize that Tampa Bay is only one point out of a playoff spot?!

I'm still trying to figure it out myself. They've gone on an unbelievable run the last few weeks with so many new young guys from injuries/trades.


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[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

At this very moment, the NHL's leading scorer is... Brad Marchand.
This "darkest timeline" BS is starting to get out of hand.

[Kobalt]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Have barely watched since the WBC started and I tune in today and realize that Tampa Bay is only one point out of a playoff spot?!

Yzerman is a wizard, why can't my hockey legend be this good as a GM.

[Chrisksaint]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Yzerman is a wizard, why can't my hockey legend be this good as a GM.

He's managed to put his team in a good position to resign more of his core group this summer, get some picks, and call up a wave of younger guys that have made the team better. I want a statue built if he brings a cup back to Tampa (certain people staying healthy would help)


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[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

I'm too lazy to look this stuff up, but I'm curious about the hires in the scouting and player development areas that Yzerman and Sakic have made. IMO successful teams are the ones that treat those positions seriously and don't staff them with old buddies and former players.

[Majingir]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Tonight, a truly original 6 matchup, Toronto St.Pats vs Chicago Blackhawks!

Doubt they'll do it, but would be cool if HNIC had the St.Pats logo and colors on their TV graphics for the Leafs tonight like how SN/TSN made everything blue when the Raptors did Huskies nights.

[Majingir]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

All this back and forth, every point counts, scoreboard watching is getting so stressful.

Low expectations make missing playoffs not so bad for leafs, but they're at the point where they're so close to playoffs they can taste it. If season ended today, it's a first round matchup vs Caps. But at least they'd make it,and there's over 100 total playoff games of experience this roster gains out of it. Most of which are from guys who never played in it before. Playoff experience is not a bad consolation prize in a season with very few expectations at all. Hopefully it happens though.

[Kobalt]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

I'm too lazy to look this stuff up, but I'm curious about the hires in the scouting and player development areas that Yzerman and Sakic have made. IMO successful teams are the ones that treat those positions seriously and don't staff them with old buddies and former players.

Avs got rid of their main amateur scout, Rick Pracey after 2014. I believe he was the main guy that was involved with their draft picks from 2009-2014. He did well in the 1st round, but outside O'Reilly and Barrie (who were both in the same draft) there isn't a single player drafted outside the 1st that's doing anything in the NHL. So they relied on overpaying for players in free agency, which leads to my next paragraph.

Their pro scouts are one of the worst in the league too. Too many waiver wire pickups on players that are awful. Sakic making dumb trades like getting Brad Stuart, giving up Kyle Wood for 18 games of Mikkel Boedker, etc.

Sakic (and Roy) wanted the team to be like TBL and DET, where they let the young players play in AHL for couple of years before calling them up. However, the AHL team is one on the worst teams in the league, NHL team is the worst team in the league and they weren't even trying to tank. Outside like 5 guys, there's no one on the team that other teams would want. Most of the players also quit after game 20 or so, when Rene Bourque puts in more effort than you, you got issues.

They've done well in the draft the past two years, Rantanen and Jost are promising with the former contributing this year. Greer, Meloche, Beaudin, Mironov(if he comes over), Morrison, etc have high potential. However, I don't think they'll reach their potential under this coaching staff (both in AHL and NHL). Nothing will change next year since the #1 prospect is compared to Jordan Staal then again, this team is used to sucking after picking high in the draft.

tl;dr version They just suck. I always made fun of the Oilers couple years ago,but this team is worse than those Oilers team/management. Sakic should have never been given the GM job. I don't think Kroenkes care enough about the Avs to clean house like they need to. Also need to listen to everyone on the team except for MacKinnon, Rantanen, Landeskog and Zadorov this offseason.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Thanks for the info. It's nice to have actual hockey discussion on this forum once in awhile instead of endless posts into the void.

tl;dr version They just suck. I always made fun of the Oilers couple years ago,but this team is worse than those Oilers team/management.

I know things are bad in Denver, but...

[daflyboys]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Flyers.....will this be the double bank that propels one last push?

Spoiler

Doubtful...but what the hell.

[DrJones]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Virtually nobody among hockey fans or media are talking about the fact that the Blackhawks are going to win the Cup again this year. Is it because it's too depressing to think about? I know that's true for me.

[Majingir]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Virtually nobody among hockey fans or media are talking about the fact that the Blackhawks are going to win the Cup again this year. Is it because it's too depressing to think about? I know that's true for me.

I don't mind the Hawks dynasty they have built. They've done great job drafting/developing/retaining their own guys. Like some station in the past mentioned, you could build a playoff team with the players the Hawks have lost since their first cup win. Yet they're STILL a cup fave.

But NHL surely doesn't need to help them do they? Or else this "inconclusive evidence" wasn't NHL just making things up claiming it was onside: (and no,this ISN'T the Hawks OT winner vs Leafs, it's ANOTHER offside goal they got just a day later vs the Avs)

Spoiler

lol come on NHL, who do you think you are, the NBA? I'm not a Hawks or Avs fan obviously, so I'm viewing that call unbiasedly, and that was just a horrible call. I hate when refs in any sport claim "inconclusive evidence" yet replays CLEARLY show evidence to back it up.

[Majingir]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

Lol, maybe NHL is turning in to the NBA. Leafs get away with some questionable calls today, beat Bruins 4-2(2EN goals when it was 2-1,followed by Bruins goal in garbage time). Refs blew play dead when Bruins were in Leafs end 5 on 4 cause they thought Martin was injured at other end when he simply lost his skate blade. Late in game they called questionable penalty on Bruins, Leafs scored GWG on PP.

Leafs now 81 points! 1 back of Bruins with a game in hand. 3 ahead of Islanders with same number of games.

[Majingir]

Re: The Official 2016-17 Regular Season Talk Thread

This playoff battle just gets crazier and crazier! Leafs now in 3rd in Atlantic after beating Jackets. Islanders counter by beating Rangers. Leafs still 3 ahead of Islanders, but more importantly they're 1 ahead of Bruins with a game in hand. So even if Islanders catch Leafs, as long as Bruins are behind, Leafs will be fine.