2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Armourboy]

First goal was just bad, second couldn't do much about. Another Presidents trophy winner goes down.

[Rorke]

Eastern Conference results never matter when a Western Conference team is going to win the Stanley Cup anyway.

The real Stanley Cup final is tonight.

[Toxigen]

Eastern Conference results never matter when a Western Conference team is going to win the Stanley Cup anyway.

The real Stanley Cup final is tonight.

We'll see.

[Rorke]

One thing to note too.

I hate the fact that Conference winners never hold the Conference Trophy or even touch it. The whole superstition or curse behind it is dumb when one Conference champion is not going to win the Stanley Cup anyway.

Prince of Wales Trophy is a beautiful trophy too. If I were a Hockey player, I would grab it and hold it up and act like I won the Stanley Cup because its still a big accomplishment. I mean winning the Conference trophy is a brutal journey that spans playing 82 regular season games and winning 3 rounds of the most competitive games in the league. Seriously, the Conference trophies deserve more respect than what they get.

As much as I find the Rangers boring, I'll give them credit and say that its very difficult to do what the Rangers did over the last two years. Winning the Eastern Conference title last year, winning the Presidents Trophy this year and almost winning the EC trophy again last night is insane especially with the lack of superstars and talent on that team. If I were a Ranger fan, I'd be proud of the team.

[Nazrark]

We really need to flesh out the rest of the fans in this thread. I know we have some playoff Bruins and Habs fans that show up.

I think the players don't touch it because they know there is still one more trophy to win. The ultimate goal is the Stanley Cup.

[Reg]

Such a disappointment.

[Gumboy]

Such a disappointment.

Always next year, I'm sure the Rangers will still be good

[Reg]

Always next year, I'm sure the Rangers will still be good

We have 4 UFA and 4 RFA and $3mil-ish of cap space. Next year will look very different.

[Rennadrel]

Well, Towes wants to win another Cup pretty bad, more than the Ducks seem to want it.

[Puupi]

I did a 10 euro bet for chicago 5-3... come on ducks make one more goal!

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...YES YES!!11

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Don't make more please.

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!!!!!! MONEYYY!!!!!!

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422 euros!

[Nazrark]

Someone is having a time tonight it seems.

[Armourboy]

Figured it would be a better game than that, Ducks just crumpled til it was pretty much over.

[Knails]

Figured it would be a better game than that, Ducks just crumpled til it was pretty much over.

From my PoV it was a great game. Seeing Toews scoring twice in twice is so clutch & is the reason he wears that C and definitely the best Captain in the league. I was hoping the Hawks would just humiliate the Ducks in their own building and they pretty much did. Can't wait til Wednesday!

Edit: Yay! Post 500!

[Stommped]

And with that win Toxigen clinches back to back MMO-Champion Bracket Challenge victories. Only 1 of 12 players picked the Hawks to win the cup (Garbles) and he's too far behind to catch Toxigen. Grats, pretty impressive.

So proud of my team, they were so strong in that 3rd period when the Ducks were desperate.

[Rorke]

Ducks didn't seem ready or something. Idk the entire game was weird. It's like I was waiting for some kind of Duck momentum swing and it just never happened. At times, the Duck players on the ice even looked confused and didn't know the line changes. Just an odd game and really bad coaching.

The Ducks also committed way too many penalties where the Blackhawks scored 2 goals from PP's. The game could've been different had the Ducks actually prepared themselves and didn't do stupid penalties.

Also, the Blackhawk fans kinda buried the lame Duck crowd. You could hear "We want the Cup" chants from Hawk fans late in the game. It was embarrassing.

[Toxigen]

As much as I find the Rangers boring, I'll give them credit and say that its very difficult to do what the Rangers did over the last two years. Winning the Eastern Conference title last year, winning the Presidents Trophy this year and almost winning the EC trophy again last night is insane especially with the lack of superstars and talent on that team. If I were a Ranger fan, I'd be proud of the team.

What? I didn't watch any Rangers games during the regular season and I recognize half the team.

King Henrik, #1 goalie in the league? (maybe doesn't appear that way right now, but he pretty much is)

Nash, Stepan, Zuccs, Hagelin, Kreider, St. Louis, Girardi, McDonagh, Staal...all names I've heard time and time again....and I'm sure there are other key guys.

I don't think you can say the Rangers lack talent, they just don't have a Corey Perry. In fact, I dare say the Rangers are one of the deepest in the league (Chicago being by far the deepest). The Ducks did it all on one line...which is part of their problem.



There was a "let's go lightning" chant @ MSG on Friday night too. I heard it was $10k starting for glass and $600 for the cheapest seat in the house...I think the price of Game 7 tickets make for a less boisterous, more likely to fall silent when behind kind of croud...youch.


side note: Thanks Stommped, a repeat victory! Call it blind luck.

[Rennadrel]

Anaheim got shit on defensively, every time they tried to pinch and get the cycle game going the Hawks D was stepping in and taking away the puck, creating odd man rushes and really just limiting the Ducks scoring chances. Chicago also controlled the play too much, they weren't aggressive but they were just constantly in possession.

[VanillaO]

I was a lot closer this year at least... the fuck was I thinking taking the Jets in 7. Grats, Toxigen

Also, I called a Chicago/Tampa final back before the season started (I had to look up who I predicted - so long ago I forgot)... along with a bunch of batshit crazy wrong predictions. Weirdly I took Tampa in the bracket, but Chicago pre-season.

I am pretty jazzed the Ducks and Rangers aren't in it (sorry, Reg). My plan is for Stamkos to win this year, the Lightning to be magically awful next year (even though they're bringing back almost an identical team), and he want out as a UFA. Come to Toronto, guide to 8 Cups in a row, win at life, drink tears. It's not that unrealistic, right?

[draynay]

I was a lot closer this year at least... the fuck was I thinking taking the Jets in 7. Grats, Toxigen

Also, I called a Chicago/Tampa final back before the season started (I had to look up who I predicted - so long ago I forgot)... along with a bunch of batshit crazy wrong predictions. Weirdly I took Tampa in the bracket, but Chicago pre-season.

I am pretty jazzed the Ducks and Rangers aren't in it (sorry, Reg). My plan is for Stamkos to win this year, the Lightning to be magically awful next year (even though they're bringing back almost an identical team), and he want out as a UFA. Come to Toronto, guide to 8 Cups in a row, win at life, drink tears. It's not that unrealistic, right?

I buy the drinking tears part, cuz its either that or drown in them amirite?

[Nazrark]

If I had won, I would have been overjoyed. Mostly because either Winnipeg or Montreal would be lifting the cup. But, I bet with my heart. Even though it'll cost me.

I have Chicago in 6 because I want another party with Toews in Winnipeg.