2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Irony]

anyone who was paying attention at teh beginning of the year saw that the kings had a good chance of making it that far.
but yeah...NJ/PHX? wtf.

If we're gonna include predictions from the start of the season, then I'd say NYR is a huge surprise. Like really, who predicted them to be this good? No one, that's who.

[OneWhoSighs]

when the nhl is going to start ?

[Darthvendor]

I'd still like to see the caps beat the rangers. As for the west, im pulling for LA to win.

[conscript]

If we're gonna include predictions from the start of the season, then I'd say NYR is a huge surprise. Like really, who predicted them to be this good? No one, that's who.

Wait what? Everyone expected the Rangers to be good. Like literally, everyone. They have the games best goaltender. They have a great defense. They added the best free agent on the market. And frankly, they aren't that good. They beat an incredibly mediocre Ottawa team in seven games and they have played five ridiculously close games with the incredibly mediocre Caps that is likely going to stretch to 7. They are going to get housed by a team actually playing good hockey.

I am probably more bummed about Philly being eliminated than I was about Detroit, how sad is that? Philly needs to address their defense this offseason. They were terrible at adding any sort of protection for Bryz in the playoffs. I think they would have been a completely different team had Pronger been healthy, but losing your defensive stalwart is going to hurt. Bryz will be just fine in Philly if they don't run him out of town. They just need to get their defensive guys to play their spots, stop chasing and staring at pucks and actually play defense. I don't even think Philly wins last night if Giroux is on the ice. The Devils just absolutely rolled them by mirroring their style and it worked to perfection.

Could you imagine a New Jersey/Phoenix final? One team that the NHL owns and is desperately trying to unload and another team the NHL very well could end up owning in the next year because the owner is flat broke and is living off a loan, from the NHL and a private financier, to run the club. Those two franchises might try and pawn off the Stanley Cup to get some money they are so far in the red.

[Masqerader]

ya i want the kings to win, it would be a nice kick in the pants to Philly to see Carter and Richards hoist the cup

[Alexeiblu]

If we're gonna include predictions from the start of the season, then I'd say NYR is a huge surprise. Like really, who predicted them to be this good? No one, that's who.

I did. Before the season begin I picked the Rangers to win the Eastern Conference. They were good last year and the signing of Brad Richards was only going to make them better. They will probably win the East next year too...Chris Krieder is going to be a good (if he doesn't get injured). They are playing this good right now without one of their better offensive players as well. As much as I hate NY teams...kudos to them, if they can win tonight...they deserve it.

If you are going to say a team that no one predicted would be that good, it would be the St. Louis Blues. NO ONE saw that coming....bet Barret Jackman feels like an ass for injuring Halak though. Elliott was good during the year but that playoff pressure gets to ya. He's never experienced the playoffs like Halak has in the past.

---------- Post added 2012-05-09 at 03:32 PM ----------

Wait what? Everyone expected the Rangers to be good. Like literally, everyone. They have the games best goaltender. They have a great defense. They added the best free agent on the market. And frankly, they aren't that good. They beat an incredibly mediocre Ottawa team in seven games and they have played five ridiculously close games with the incredibly mediocre Caps that is likely going to stretch to 7. They are going to get housed by a team actually playing good hockey.

I am probably more bummed about Philly being eliminated than I was about Detroit, how sad is that? Philly needs to address their defense this offseason. They were terrible at adding any sort of protection for Bryz in the playoffs. I think they would have been a completely different team had Pronger been healthy, but losing your defensive stalwart is going to hurt. Bryz will be just fine in Philly if they don't run him out of town. They just need to get their defensive guys to play their spots, stop chasing and staring at pucks and actually play defense. I don't even think Philly wins last night if Giroux is on the ice. The Devils just absolutely rolled them by mirroring their style and it worked to perfection.

Could you imagine a New Jersey/Phoenix final? One team that the NHL owns and is desperately trying to unload and another team the NHL very well could end up owning in the next year because the owner is flat broke and is living off a loan, from the NHL and a private financier, to run the club. Those two franchises might try and pawn off the Stanley Cup to get some money they are so far in the red.

Ouch and I was just starting to forget about the Wings loss too =(

[conscript]

If you are going to say a team that no one predicted would be that good, it would be the St. Louis Blues. NO ONE saw that coming....bet Barret Jackman feels like an ass for injuring Halak though. Elliott was good during the year but that playoff pressure gets to ya. He's never experienced the playoffs like Halak has in the past.

Honestly prior to the year I don't think I would have picked the Blues to end up above Columbus in the division and they nearly pulled off the President's Trophy. Halak was good/great in the past, but that time is such a random assortment of players I didn't think they would be very good. Then the Jackets added Wiz and Carter so Nash finally had a relevant player to play with. Mason was going to be a weak point, but I was hoping they would catch a little magic like they did back in 08 (?) when they made the playoffs. Columbus completely imploded, the Blues found a great coach and played like such a cohesive team it took me by surprise.

[Fuzzzie]

So happy! My Devils pulled through and are heading to the conference finals.
woo!
Should be interesting to see who they're up against. Given the way they've been playing lately I'd say they have a great shot.

Sorry I haven't been around for chat. I won't be here tonight either. I'm super busy with work and the like. I'm sure conscript will open it up if he's around, if not you guys can head in there on your own. Links in my sig.

Enjoy the game!

[Irony]

Wait what? Everyone expected the Rangers to be good. Like literally, everyone. They have the games best goaltender. They have a great defense. They added the best free agent on the market. And frankly, they aren't that good. They beat an incredibly mediocre Ottawa team in seven games and they have played five ridiculously close games with the incredibly mediocre Caps that is likely going to stretch to 7. They are going to get housed by a team actually playing good hockey.

I honestly don't remember anyone picking the Rangers to win the East. The common 4 answers were: Boston, Buffalo, Washington and Pittsburgh.

And no the Rangers aren't that good, but they're still surprising.

[Rennadrel]

Wait what? Everyone expected the Rangers to be good. Like literally, everyone. They have the games best goaltender. They have a great defense. They added the best free agent on the market. And frankly, they aren't that good. They beat an incredibly mediocre Ottawa team in seven games and they have played five ridiculously close games with the incredibly mediocre Caps that is likely going to stretch to 7. They are going to get housed by a team actually playing good hockey.

I am probably more bummed about Philly being eliminated than I was about Detroit, how sad is that? Philly needs to address their defense this offseason. They were terrible at adding any sort of protection for Bryz in the playoffs. I think they would have been a completely different team had Pronger been healthy, but losing your defensive stalwart is going to hurt. Bryz will be just fine in Philly if they don't run him out of town. They just need to get their defensive guys to play their spots, stop chasing and staring at pucks and actually play defense. I don't even think Philly wins last night if Giroux is on the ice. The Devils just absolutely rolled them by mirroring their style and it worked to perfection.

Could you imagine a New Jersey/Phoenix final? One team that the NHL owns and is desperately trying to unload and another team the NHL very well could end up owning in the next year because the owner is flat broke and is living off a loan, from the NHL and a private financier, to run the club. Those two franchises might try and pawn off the Stanley Cup to get some money they are so far in the red.

I expected the Rangers to be average, they aren't a "great" team by any stretch, they just happen to be in a fairly easy conference where there are arguably only four elite goalies and one happened to be on the worst team in the conference this year. Gaborik and Richards haven't exactly been Rocket Richard trophy winner material this year, and Richards was laughably bad at the start of the season just like Kovalcheque was for NJ. The East is such a joke of a conference, hence why you can't predict who is going to do well and who will fail. At the start of the season one could have said Tampa was going to be in the top 5 after last season, didn't happen. One could have predicted that Montreal was going to be a top 8 team again, that also didn't happen. The only constants were Pittsburgh (who overachieved like hell this year), Philadelphia, New Jersey and Boston as being top 8 teams, everyone else wound up being a crap shoot after the previous season.

The Rangers win games with good goaltending and good defense, they have very mediocre offense.

[Greeney]

If we're gonna include predictions from the start of the season, then I'd say NYR is a huge surprise. Like really, who predicted them to be this good? No one, that's who.

Why Phoenix is going to lose this round:
Every team to be featured in your signature DIES.
P.S. Please keep the Devils out of your signature.

[Irony]

Why Phoenix is going to lose this round:
Every team to be featured in your signature DIES.
P.S. Please keep the Devils out of your signature.

If NJ and LA end in in the finals, it'll be a NJ signature. I can't think of anything to do for Johnathon Quick.

[Garbles]

pretty much...

[Greeney]

If NJ and LA end in in the finals, it'll be a NJ signature. I can't think of anything to do for Johnathon Quick.

Picture of a naked woman complaining about his last name?

[draynay]

pretty much...

you could just replace that whole graphic with a Cubs logo and have the same effect

[Irony]

you could just replace that whole graphic with a Cubs logo and have the same effect

Or Adam Dunn counting his money.



---------- Post added 2012-05-10 at 12:44 AM ----------

Picture of a naked woman complaining about his last name?

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=6...id=DL|NHL|home

OG Quick is a possibility.

I'm glad it wasn't just me that knew dick all about Quick.

[conscript]

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=6...id=DL|NHL|home

OG Quick is a possibility.

I'm glad it wasn't just me that knew dick all about Quick.

You know how I know that article was written by a really, really white guy:

4. Yo, yo, yo! The suburban New England native loves hip hop. His playlist is overflowing with the likes of Drake, Ludacris, Jay-Z and Kanye.

And lay off Adam Dunn. He has increased his batting average against lefties from .064 last season to .097 this season. Dude is on fire. Getting a hit on 9% of your at bats against lefties is pretty amazing.

[Irony]

The amount of fire he is on, has not been matched since Gomez's 2011/2012 campaign of bravery, strength and a 7M cap hit.


Honestly that article was rather refreshing, it was on the front page scroll and wasn't a Pop culture reference nor a pun. NHL.com is improving.

[dercaderca]

Hope the caps can pull off game 7. I'd like to see LA and Wash in the cup. Ovi is about due for his cup.

[Rivenda]

pretty much...

That those say everything... Fucking injures..
Anyway go Caps! I don't care who wins the Stanly cup as long as it's either Caps or Kings.