2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Zeoni]

Wow you guys really lit up your ex teammate, how bad did Scrivens look? When he filled in for Quick I thought he looked pretty decent but I guess that goes to show you the players in front of you have a lot of influence in how the goalie looks.

Guy is a backup trying to play the role of a 1a/1b for the Oilers. He can pitch these amazing 60 save shutouts then he'll get lit up like last night. Kings defense can make anyone look amazing (last year at least) too. I've never been impressed with him as a starter in the NHL but I'd love the guy as a backup or the B of a 1a/1b.

[Stommped]

My god you guys have to watch the last minute of the Hawks Sabres game....The Sabres were dangerously close to winning (up 3-2) so of course they gifted us 2 goals in about 40 seconds... They are soo good at this tanking thing. 1st goal Sabres just stood around as Toews was around the net then 40 seconds later they inexplicably turned it over on their own blue line and an easy 2 on 1 followed

[Tradewind]

idk Sabres did beat Toronto. Maybe Toronto is just better at tanking?

[draynay]

Wow you guys really lit up your ex teammate, how bad did Scrivens look? When he filled in for Quick I thought he looked pretty decent but I guess that goes to show you the players in front of you have a lot of influence in how the goalie looks.

He is shell shocked now, seems like damaged goods, pucks just went right through him, then they put in an emergency call up who was not an nhl-caliber goalie.

[Gumboy]

Hockey is such a fun sport to watch at the bar on a giant projector television with vocal fans, especially this close to playoffs, hopefully we clinch soon so I can get my liver ready for the free shots whenever a goal is scored :P

[Reg]

Devils are so bad.

[Armourboy]

Devils are so bad.

So are we. If you are going to be in the playoffs you want to play us.

Rinne can't stop anything that matters. The only reason he didn't get 6 hung on him tonight was because they hit the post. He's given up 9 goals in the last two games, and the games before that weren't very good either. He's mentally toast right now.

Franson got benched for the second time during a game tonight, the guy is just worthless. That big contract he thought he was going to get is slowly going down the tubes. Its so bad the fans are begging for them to play Bartley who actually played pretty well as a 4th line wing tonight, at least he will hit someone. The Franson-Santo trade is possibly the single worst trade this franchise has ever made, neither have been very good.

The one bright spot is the Forsberg/Ribiero/Neal line was back together tonight and looked good. Neal and Forsberg both with a goal and assist each, Ribs with his 500th career assist. Weber looked pretty decent too in his first game back.

Sadly, Rinne is killing us right now.

[Gumboy]

God damn wild we could have clinched tonight, lose in ot... Prov still make it but duck do we have to make it complicated.

[Jibjabb]

My god you guys have to watch the last minute of the Hawks Sabres game....The Sabres were dangerously close to winning (up 3-2) so of course they gifted us 2 goals in about 40 seconds... They are soo good at this tanking thing. 1st goal Sabres just stood around as Toews was around the net then 40 seconds later they inexplicably turned it over on their own blue line and an easy 2 on 1 followed

Was at the game. Such an adrenaline rush as we blow a 2-0 lead then get 2 goals to win in the final minutes. The amount of blackhawks fans there was astounding. It kind of annoyed me honestly since i bet most had no Chicago affiliation and only like them cuz theyre good unlike those of us who are from there. Then ofc there were the other hawks fans wearing sabres jerseys wanting their team to lose. Guy near us was in his sabres gear high fiving all the hawks fans when we score lol. Security had to come up cuz the other buffalo fans didnt seem to appreciate his antics.

[Rennadrel]

idk Sabres did beat Toronto. Maybe Toronto is just better at tanking?

They didn't show it last night.

[Tradewind]

Ottawa's little "we can do it!" moment was short lived as everyone (minus TSN) knew it would be.

[Stommped]

Ottawa's little "we can do it!" moment was short lived as everyone (minus TSN) knew it would be.

Pittsburgh and Ottawa play tomorrow. If Ottawa wins in regulation then they are tied with 2 games remaining (Pittsburgh has ROW tiebreaker though). Could you imagine how bad it would be for the NHL if Ottawa got in over the other potential WC teams in the East: Pittsburgh, Detroit, Boston. Those are all mega markets (Crosby makes Pittsburgh a mega market).

[Nazrark]

Pittsburgh and Ottawa play tomorrow. If Ottawa wins in regulation then they are tied with 2 games remaining (Pittsburgh has ROW tiebreaker though). Could you imagine how bad it would be for the NHL if Ottawa got in over the other potential WC teams in the East: Pittsburgh, Detroit, Boston. Those are all mega markets (Crosby makes Pittsburgh a mega market).

I'd wager the Pens or Bruins will lose in the first round. Of all the teams you've listed, I'd have the Wings as the only team that can maybe make it past the first round. The Pens do not have the defense to grind it out, the Bruins are a wreck of a team trying to keep it together. If Ottawa makes the playoffs, they will have earned it. All the other teams have had ample opportunity to clamp down a spot for the past month. So I have full respect for teams like Ottawa, Florida and Columbus who are not giving up even when they should have given up awhile ago.

[Schmeebs]

Kinda sad watch international women's hockey and there are as many people in the stands as there are at a Panthers game.

I always enjoy watching women's hockey during the olympics.

Its just hard to find the right times (or even a broadcast) to watch it outside of that, which is a shame.

Also not in a 'Traditional' hockey market so no local games to go to other than college games.

[Gumboy]

Can anyone tell me the ways the wild could clinch the earliest? A playoff spot that is.. I am pretty sure one win by us=in, but any other scenarios you can see?

[VanillaO]

Win in regulation tonight and they clinch a playoff spot. Honestly, even if they go 0-4-0, they're pretty much (but not mathematically) in because of scheduling. If Minnesota wins in regulation and LA loses in regulation, they clinch #1 WC I believe (and could theoretically go higher, but I doubt it).

[Gumboy]

Win in regulation tonight and they clinch a playoff spot. Honestly, even if they go 0-4-0, they're pretty much (but not mathematically) in because of scheduling. If Minnesota wins in regulation and LA loses in regulation, they clinch #1 WC I believe (and could theoretically go higher, but I doubt it).

Yeah, I am fairly sure we are assured of a spot at this point, just not officially...but nervous :P

[VanillaO]

So this is how it breaks down for the teams who haven't clinched a spot:

West (2 Pacific, 2 Wild Card)
P - Vancouver: Arizona, Edmonton
P - Calgary: Arizona, LA, @Winnipeg
P - LA: @Edmonton, @Calgary, San Jose
C - Minnesota: @Chicago, @Nashville, @St.Louis (brutal)
C - Winnipeg: @St.Louis, @Colorado, Calgary

East (1 Metropolitan, 1 Atlantic, 2 Wild Card)
M - NY Islanders: @Philadelphia, @Pittsburgh, Columbus
M - Pittsburgh: @Ottawa, NY Islanders, @Buffalo
A - Boston: @Washington, @Florida, @Tampa Bay
A - Detroit: Carolina, @Montreal, @Carolina
A - Ottawa: Pittsburgh, @NY Rangers, @Philadelphia

As it looks, the real treats here are LA/Calgary, (potentially) Calgary/Winnipeg in the West (though Minnesota could really fuck with the standings in the Central), and NYI/Pittsburgh, Ottawa/Pittsburgh in the East... again, with Boston and Detroit both potentially playing a part in the Atlantic winner.

As it stands, Vancouver and LA have the easiest schedules out West, with Detroit having the easiest in the East (but who knows, maybe Carolina plays spoiler). Ottawa is in for a tough go... I'm excited.

[Gumboy]

Minnesota has a fucking buzzsaw of a schedule, it fucking sucks.

[Tradewind]

Whoever does the scheduling at the NHL must be a prophet or something...

CGY v LA v WPG all at the end of the season.

Shit part is that LA could easily win 2 of those remaining 3.