2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Drikkink]

There's a reason the 4 is bolded. It's a prediction, I don't know why you're so shocked that I could predict your team gets swept. But if you want to hear my logic, I'm not sold on Mason. I'm thinking Marc-Andre Fluery won't choke this year but we all know how that goes. What's the harm in predicting a sweep anyways, you're acting like it's just so out of this world when in reality it could easily happen (either way I might add). Also don't bother mentioning what happened in the regular season or in the past, it has no bearing on if the Penguins will sweep the Flyers or not.

Usually when you predict things, you'd really want to have something other than a gut feeling on that. I just don't see the Flyers getting past the Rangers (who the Flyers struggle with) then getting swept by the Penguins. I can see them losing to either. Hell, I can see them getting swept by the Rangers. I just don't see any reason to think it should.

I mean, hell I got questioned for thinking the Bruins would be 16-2 these playoffs. I can question you for predicting a sweep in that series.

[Zeoni]

Usually when you predict things, you'd really want to have something other than a gut feeling on that. I just don't see the Flyers getting past the Rangers (who the Flyers struggle with) then getting swept by the Penguins. I can see them losing to either. Hell, I can see them getting swept by the Rangers. I just don't see any reason to think it should.

I mean, hell I got questioned for thinking the Bruins would be 16-2 these playoffs. I can question you for predicting a sweep in that series.

I didn't say you coulden't question my prediction but there's no reason to be that shocked since it's the playoffs. Anything can and will happen.

I also just think the Penguins are a much better team than the Flyers. It's up to Marc-Andre Fluery if they win or lose though, he's been pretty good this year but that doesn't mean shit. Not with him, not with his performance last 2 years. Penguins defense is also much better this year(than in previous yearS), Olli Maatta strengthens their back end and Niskanen has been great for them. Philly's top pairing is good but I'm not confident in any of their other defensemen. We'll see how Mason does too.

[Armourboy]

And yet they haven't yet made it past the second round when in past seasons they were 100% healthy and playing well. I have no idea how you could possibly be so confident about anything in sports, let alone that the defending champs can't hang with a team in a playoff series. The style you describe is very similar to the style the Kings play, except the Kings have a better goalie. The Hawks were able to defeat the Kings in 5 games last year and I think we would all agree that they were playing pretty well at the time. To give them no chance at winning the series is pretty laughable, but I'm just going to give you the benefit of the doubt that you are biased because 1) you hate to see the Hawks be successful again and 2) the Hawks looked so dreadful the last few games against the Preds

No bias, I dislike them both equally

I make my statement based on watching both play this season fairly often ( yes there is more than just Preds hockey on down here). I think that if you had both teams playing at their best that St. Louis wins the series 7/10 times, simply because of the style of game they play. Keep in mind I'm not trying to say that Chicago is a bad team, I just think they could be running into a bad match up.

Like I said though if Kane and Toews end up being fine, Crawford does his thing, and St. Louis doesn't get out of this funk, its a series Chicago could very easily win in 4. On the same hand if St. Louis gets it going, and the above doesn't happen for Chicago then St. Louis could win in 4 as well. Usually though the answer is somewhere in the middle, so for me its a toss up tbh. For what its worth, I don't have either team getting out of the second round.

" Defending Stanley Cup Champions" though means very little to me, in fact looking at recent history that's even more reason not to pick Chicago. I also have a hard time picking a team that lost the season series to my Preds, I mean come on, we couldn't even beat Edmonton once this season

I actually will be interested to see who I end up rooting for in this series ( and the others for that matter) though, I often surprise myself. My gut feeling says St. Louis, but I've had that same thought in the past and have rooted for a team I didn't think I would. Example would be the Phoenix/LA series the year LA won. Went in going to root for Phoenix, pretty quickly though I found myself cheering on LA ( and I couldn't stand LA going in). The only three I know without a doubt I will never root for is Minnesota, San Jose and Anaheim, just can't do it.

[Schmeebs]

Those thinking the sharks will beat the kings in 7, I have one thing to say to you.

Justin Williams.

[VanillaO]

I mean, hell I got questioned for thinking the Bruins would be 16-2 these playoffs. I can question you for predicting a sweep in that series.

The reason I questioned it is because I think there's only been one team that's gone 16-2 in a playoff season before, and it was one of the Edmonton teams of the 80s who were absurdly dominant. Otherwise, 16-4 has happened like 4 or 5 times. Nothing better than 16-4 in the last 15 years, and only one team (LA) managed that. It's a bold prediction and I will be impressed (and more shocked) but I do agree Boston has arguably the (much) easier path to the Cup being in the clearly weaker East. I also agree, if any team has a chance to go 16-2 in these playoffs, it would be Boston... I just think it's reaaaally unlikely, especially with how hard it is to sweep more than one team in the playoffs these days (which they would have to do to at least 2 teams to go 16-2). There have been 11 sweeps in the last 5 playoffs (4 in 2009, 7 in 2010-2013) in 85 series. It all really comes down to numbers. 16-2 has happened and is possible... but the league is much more competitive 25 years later.

Specifically, if Montreal beats Tampa, Boston has to play 2 teams that combined for a 5-2-1 record against the Bruins in the regular season... Both Detroit and Montreal match up very well against them.. I dunno..

I'm not trying to be a poopface or anything, either, so apologies if that is what it's coming across as.. just explaining further my train of thought on why I thought 16-2 was a bit of an extreme choice.

[Zeoni]

Those thinking the sharks will beat the kings in 7, I have one thing to say to you.

Justin Williams.

Pretty sure Jonathon Quick will have more to do with the Kings winning than Williams, unless it's a game 7 Williams godlike reference. In that case, carry on.

Also, draft lottery in 30 mins. Can't wait for Edmonton to win it and draft another small centerman.

[draynay]

16-2 is absurd, although it looked possible when the Kings were sitting at 15-2, until things get that far, seems silly to think about it. Even the only 16-2 team still played 19 games because of the blackout game.

Pretty sure Jonathon Quick will have more to do with the Kings winning than Williams, unless it's a game 7 Williams godlike reference. In that case, carry on.

I'm sure he was alluding to Williams going nuts as usual if the thing gets to a game 7.

[Zeoni]

Thank fucking god Edmonton didn't win that.

Looks like it'll go Florida - Ekblad, Buffalo - Reinhart, Edmonton - Bennett (lol), Calgary - Del Colle or the German whose name is hard to spell for me. I'm alright with it, pretty weak draft outside the top 5 though, even out of the top 3.

[Armourboy]

I would of loved to have had Reinhart, we need forwards so freaking bad. Oh well, at least Jarnkrok looks like he's going to be fairly decent ( thanks Detroit)

[draynay]

Florida lost the lottery last year but won it this year, persistence pays off!

[Armourboy]

Probably would of been better off winning it last year, but either way they are gaining some nice young talent. Hopefully they do more with it than Edmonton has.

[Zeoni]

Florida is a funny team. They have solid prospects and young talent with Huberdeau, Barkov, Bjugstad, and probably Ekblad. But outside of those guys, their team is pretty whatever. They have a bunch of random 3rd liners to fill out the roster and nothing special on the back end. Luongo probably has 3-4 more years of being a solid #1 goalie but by the time they're going to be a good team, I'd say he's gonna be on his way out of his prime. I don't mean to be harsh but it's a shame good players -might- be drafted down to Florida just to rot in a poorly run organization. Unless they acquire some serious top end talent to compliment, I don't see the Panthers becoming a very good team. In fact, I'd wager all the other teams in rebuild mode are going to be better than them in the next 3 years. Never know though, next year with the McDavid/Eichel draft anyone can be turned around.

[Reg]

I love the videos that come out when playoffs start. Only critique is it needs more Lundqvist!

And I love that the Rangers are playing the Flyers. It's a quick drive right over to Philly, so I have tickets to all four games so far!

[Stommped]

Only hours left to join!
http://bracketchallenge.nhl.com/play...6316?locale=en

[VanillaO]

So apparently Mason and Bishop might both be out.... even if it's just for 1 game, I may have to rethink my picks :x Maybe Montreal in 6 and NYR in 5. This ruins my whole day. Fucking fuck shit fuck.

[Drikkink]

So apparently Mason and Bishop might both be out.... even if it's just for 1 game, I may have to rethink my picks :x Maybe Montreal in 6 and NYR in 5. This ruins my whole day. Fucking fuck shit fuck.

Well, some stats and observations about Emery this season (and his career).

Emery had a very similar sv % to Mason this season.
Emery's numbers against the Rangers in his career are absurdly good.
Emery had a very, very bad last few weeks of the regular season.

[Stommped]

LOL this guy man... https://twitter.com/chadgraff/status/456409503131389953

[VanillaO]

This Habs/Lightning game is getting chippy in the 2nd.... going to be a great series if this is indicative of anything!

[Zeoni]

Overtime for the first game of the playoffs, thank you hockey gods!

[Epuration]

Montreal wins in OT, I thought it was going to head into a 2nd OT at that rate.