NHL (National Hockey League) Discussion

[TCK]

I think that sports is a great metaphor for business. But especially the NHL. With the best of 7 format in the post-season it is a game of speed, endurance, skill, and mental fitness. The best teams improve as the post-season progresses and prove they want the Cup the most.

In the 2018/2019 season the Tampa Bay Lightning were the team with the record-tying most wins in a season. They were very impressive, said to have "no weaknesses and a lot of star power". Yet they were beaten in 4 straight games in the first round of the post-season by a wildcard team that barely qualified. Ouch.

Who do you think will be in the Stanley Cup final in 2019?

From what I've seen so far, my prediction is it will be Dallas Stars v Carolina Hurricanes.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I don't know, but I know it is no team from Canada and that makes me .
As a kid I remember watching playoffs every year with my Dad, and it always was either Montreal or Toronto. That seems such distant past now.
Bob

 

[TCK]

I don't know, but I know it is no team from Canada and that makes me .
As a kid I remember watching playoffs every year with my Dad, and it always was either Montreal or Toronto. That seems such distant past now.
Bob

I had high hopes for the Leafs this year. But found their defense lacking and the reason they lost the first round. They shouldn't have traded the goalie Curtis McElhinney, who now helped the Hurricanes make it into the conference final.

 

[Recons.Com]

My team, capitals, are out.

Carolina surprises me. Not that they are winning, but their formula. They have been the best 5v5 team since Jan and, I think, they had the best point total in regular season from that point.

Canada: for a Canadian team to win, they need NHL to go back to old rules giving them home grown talent draft preferences.

 

[TCK]

I haven't been following the Western Conference as much but in the Eastern Conference, both wildcard teams, Columbus and Carolina, have really impressed me. I think its because they were in post-season mode since before the end of the regular season.

As far as Canadian teams are concerned, I think the owners are too much relying on the legacies of the teams. And the fact that Canadians will always go to see their teams play, win or lose, because hockey is such a part of the national culture. In the US, if teams are not winning the bottom line is much more negatively affected. But teams like Toronto are building to compete for the Cup.

 

[Recons.Com]

NHL is not helping by having different interpretation of rules for play-offs.

It is hard for teams to gear and know where they stand come playoff time.

 

[TCK]

NHL is not helping by having different interpretation of rules for play-offs.

It is hard for teams to gear and know where they stand come playoff time.

Are you referring to rules for overtime? Or the calls made by the refs?

 

[Recons.Com]

Are you referring to rules for overtime? Or the calls made by the refs?

The way they call the games in playoffs.

 

[Internet.Domains]

The season is over. LA Kings are on vacation....

 

[TCK]

The way they call the games in playoffs.

Yes, I agree. There are too many inconsistencies in the calls. They allow a lot of things go that would be penalties in regular season but do call them penalties at other times. I think the refs are conflicted about not appearing to be deciding the outcomes yet try to apply the rules. They seem to allow the players commit infractions couple of times without calling them such, but on the third or fourth time they call it a penalty.

There should be more video reviews. Like there is now in FIFA. If a ref doubts his call or believes he missed a call, he should be allowed to review the video for penalty infractions, not just goals. This would make things more consistent for the players.

 

[TCK]

The season is over. LA Kings are on vacation....

Yes, the season is over. We're in post-season. And what happened to the Kings? They were such a powerhouse a few years back.

 

[Internet.Domains]

Yes, the season is over. We're in post-season. And what happened to the Kings? They were such a powerhouse a few years back.

Yes, they have been a powerhouse a time or two, the pendulum is swinging. They will come back, eventually. That's how we do it in LA...

 

[TCK]

Yes, they have been a powerhouse a time or two, the pendulum is swinging. They will come back, eventually. That's how we do it in LA...

They didn't have the best turnout for the Stanley Cup parade when they won. Maybe that's why they're in a down-swing.

https://abc7chicago.com/sports/hockey-celebration-la-vs-chicago/119231/

But I sure enjoyed watching them play in the finals.

I think that if you like hockey, you enjoy the finals more when your team is not playing. No stress or anxiety, just pure enjoyment of the game itself.

 

[Internet.Domains]

They didn't have the best turn out for the Stanley Cup parade when they won. Maybe that's why they're in a down-swing.

https://abc7chicago.com/sports/hockey-celebration-la-vs-chicago/119231/

But I sure enjoyed watching them play in the finals.

I think that if you like hockey, you enjoy the finals more when your team is not playing. No stress, just pure enjoyment of the game itself.

Parades are not LA's thing. We have lots to do here, so parade turn outs aren't huge.....Probably the largest parade was the Lakers in the early 2000's.

 

[TCK]

Parades are not LA's thing. We have lots to do here, so parade turn outs aren't huge.....Probably the largest parade was the Lakers in the early 2000's.

Well, I did not know that. I thought LA likes a good party.

BTW, loved my time in LA.

 

[briguy]

I don't know, but I know it is no team from Canada and that makes me .
As a kid I remember watching playoffs every year with my Dad, and it always was either Montreal or Toronto. That seems such distant past now.
Bob

No Canadian teams BUT plenty of Canadians playing/coaching/etc

 

[Bob Hawkes]

I am waiting for Victoria, BC to win the Stanley Cup again . They last won it in 1925 when they defeated Montreal Canadiens.

 

[Bob Hawkes]

A surprising amount of hockey history actually happened in Patrick Arena in Oak Bay - Victoria where the Stanley Cup was won in 1925, including the first game on artificial ice, including

• 
  "Introduction of the bluelines
• 
  Introduction of the penalty shot
• 
  Introduction of changing on the fly
• 
  Introduction of recording assists
• 
  Elimination of rule requiring goalie to stand upright
• 
  Introduction of numbers on jerseys
• 
  Introduction of post-season playoffs
• 
  Introduction of the farm system"

Source: http://www.webturf.com/oakbay/history/encyclopedia/p/memorabilia/patrick_arena/patrick_arena.shtml

 

[Grilled]

From what I've seen so far, my prediction is it will be Dallas Stars v Carolina Hurricanes

There's no way the Stars make it past the Sharks to represent the west.

 

[Dominic Belley]

Canada: for a Canadian team to win, they need NHL to go back to old rules giving them home grown talent draft preferences.

At the same time, there is only 7 Canadian teams on 31 teams. So right from the start, there is only a 22% chance it happens.

Just over 18% chances of a Canadian team reaching the Finals in the East. 3 teams out of 16.

One thing for sure, we won't win a cup again in Montreal. With our high taxes, we can't attract star UFAs anymore. If they get an 8 millions offer somewhere else, we have to offer 11-12 millions to make it equal. It makes it pretty hard to compete.