2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[xskarma]

Given recent activity seemed only fair to actually update the 3 year old thread title...

Good luck, and go Bruins.

[Rennadrel]

3 game suspension for Bunting, decent odds that covers the rest of the series.

3 games is a bit much for a first time suspension, even in the playoffs. Game one was a shitshow though and frankly the first period the Leafs played horrendously and didn't show up on time. But things got out of hand in the 2nd with the officiating. As soon as the game was 3-2, it was obvious that Wes McCauley was trying to game manage and threw a couple of frivolous non penalties at us that swung the momentum again.

Either way, there's not really an excuse for them playing as poorly and undisciplined as they did in that game. We are definitely the better team in this series in every position except goaltending so as long as our defense and depth players do their job, they will take this series. I don't expect to see Bunting back on the ice in the series though. Frankly he played himself out of the playoff spot what he did

[Rennadrel]

LMAO the salt from Bolts fans yesterday after losing in OT was great. Apparently we can't have nice things like a comeback OT win as Leafs fans without other teams fans, coaches and players whining. The refs being occasionally whistle happy and waving off a goal is pretty common in the NHL and happens a lot. And their freakout about the Rielly hit on Point is so god damn overblown too. It would have been a normal body check had Point not lost an edge and wiped out. Can't blame Rielly for that. I'm surprised Stamkos didn't get fined for sucker punching Matthews though, but if DoPS didn't have double standards, they'd have no standards at all

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Ahhhh 4-1, the most unsafe lead in hockey history, knowing all too well when it happened to us.

[Vetali]

Gonna be interesting if Makar is suspended or not. I don't even want to guess what it'll be with how inconsistent they've been. Can't believe that was reviewed a minor. McCann is already ruled out for the rest of the series at least.

[eschatological]

1 game for Makar.

[Rennadrel]

That was a dangerous hit for sure. The fact that it was a minor penalty is a bit ridiculous. He should have gotten 2 games, but such short suspensions are just semantics at this point until the league really decides to start cracking down on dirty players.

[Vetali]

Leafs seem more pissed than Kraken fans about it lol. I am fine with it... more salty about them reviewing it and overruling a major.

[Rennadrel]

Leafs seem more pissed than Kraken fans about it lol. I am fine with it... more salty about them reviewing it and overruling a major.

It is what it is, it was dangerous but I'm not here complaining about the suspension, but it would be nice to see more consistency in terms of the duration of suspensions across the league. That said, inconsistency has never been the NHL's strong suit when it comes to suspensions and we can easily go back to the days of Raffi Torres trying to murder guys on the ice to see that the league has failed to set reasonable minimum standards for punishments where dirty hits are involved that would actually act as a deterrent.

[Rennadrel]

Kindly take a bow and gtfo, Tampa!

[Vetali]

Some crazy games last night. I called Skinner's stick being broken on the pass he fanned on, then doubted myself because he never went to the bench to get a new one.

So last Kraken game Jordan Eberle got a boarding call, I didn't see the play at the time. The guy continued to play despite being injured on the play so I didn't think about it much. Turns out Cogliano fractured his neck on the play. No review for major, no hearing from DOPS... I don't know if DOPS knows if he fractured his neck or not because Colorado hasn't formally said anything.

[eschatological]

Congrats to Toronto for winning a series. Buffalo still has won more series than Toronto in the past 20 years, and we're on a 12 year playoff drought.

[Rennadrel]

Congrats to Toronto for winning a series. Buffalo still has won more series than Toronto in the past 20 years, and we're on a 12 year playoff drought.

Congrats, now back to the basement with you because Buffalo won't be making the playoffs in this division any time soon. Unless Boston some how falls off a cliff next year, they'll still be competitive and having to fight tooth and nail with Montreal and Ottawa who you know are going to be better and a Panthers team that might not be as mediocre as I thought they were, is going to mean that every point matters. And we know no one is bouncing the top 3 teams in the Atlantic out of a playoff spot barring massive injuries.

[eschatological]

Tampa Bay is falling off a cliff, and Montreal and Ottawa are fucking jokes compared to the Sabres.

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Well, well, well, how the turn tables....


Toronto must be feeling pretty good right now.

[Rennadrel]

Boston really choked. Like, that's Washington when they won the president's trophy multiple years and got knocked out in the first round. Sounds like Bergeron played with a herniated disc as well.

[eschatological]

I will laugh so hard if, after all that celebrating for making it past the 1st round and the #1 seed Bruins being bounced, the Leafs get swept in the 2nd.

[Brazenclaw]

Feel like there is literally no favorites left :P If the Oilers weren't so inconsistent and didn't have Skinner I would almost bet on them. Hurricanes I guess but with their injuries and less than exciting playstyle they go mostly unnoticed.

[eschatological]

I hate to say it because I think their brand of hockey is boring as shit, but I think Carolina has a good shot. I still hate them for the ECF loss in 2006.

None of the possibilities in the East make me happy - Florida vs. VGK in the finals would be a Reinhart/Montour vs. Eichel "what if?" sadfest for all Sabres fans. I have to rely on Dallas/Seattle winning it all to not be sad at the end of these playoffs.

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And even then, if Seattle wins a Cup in their second year, I'll be pissed.

So I guess I'm rooting for Dallas? Nah, can't do that either, they beat us in the '99 Cup in which I attended several games. Unacceptable.

Really no good choices left for a hater like me. I guess I like Sammy, so maybe I cheer for Florida.

[Vetali]

Kraken are out. Was a good series with the Stars tho. No controversies or brawls. Just clean hockey. Now they gotta beat VGK. I'm in the anybody but VGK boat.

[eschatological]

Looks like the public referendum on funding the arena for the Arizona Coyotes is going to fail. Without that money, it looks likely that the team will be unable to stay in Arizona....

...I know of an empty arena up in Quebec....

[eschatological]

So......the season started.

Bedard has 2 pts in 2 games (1G, 1A). Sportsnet literally put up a graphic with Gretzky's goal total and how much Bedard needed to catch up, lol.