chaps80

They had some pretty deep rosters in the 2000s for a bit. Won the Presidents Trophy back when Pronger was Norris calibre. He may even have won it the same season. Can't recall. They bowed out early. Then made the West Finals in 2016 and were looking strong but blew it against SJ, who are chokers themselves. Stastny, Backes and Lehtera were their top 3 centres. Not the best in the league, but solid. Tarasenko, Steen, Brouwer, Schwartz, Fabbri, Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Bouwmeester. Elliott was strong in goal. No reason they couldn't have beat SJ. Pittsburgh would have been tough for them in the Final though. The Blues have a Cup draught as long as Toronto's. Only '67 expansion team that's still around that hasn't won at least one. That's pretty bad. We should try to pry Bobrovsky away from Columbus. Pipe dream, I know. Plus he's gonna want paid.

And Ward in his rookie season taking them all the way after Gerber imploded.

Yeah, Carolina has no jump tonight. Horrible effort all over the ice from what parts i've been able to watch. everytime i come back to the tv it's another two goals added.

More slop. 4-0.

Things aren't even THAT bad right now. The young core had a great year, lots to build on. I see fans of teams that made/are still in the playoffs complaining about how their team sucks and chokes and all that, and I always think, f*** we've been spoiled as Wings fans for a long time. No fans of other teams can even bash us for sucking right now due to the quarter century of success we came out of.

Nashville has always played boring hockey. lol

I don't mind STL, but it'd hard to get excited about any playoff success they ever have, because they always find a way to screw it up. That franchise has had so many cup-ready rosters over the years and failed hard.

Carolina playing sloppy hockey tonight. That and Ovie is everywhere it seems.

Yeah, Vegas made what ended up being some huge steals in that expansion draft, whether roster players, prospects, or picks, but I think a lot of that was GMs just not being prepared for it. They only had the rules set up in early 2016 (rules designed to make the new franchise more competitive out of the gate compared to previous drafts by limiting protections even further) and the league couldn't give a definitive date at that time on when the new franchise would begin play. Then the draft ended up taking place at the end of the 2016-17 season. No one wants to give anything away of course, and every team has to, but there are ways to minimize the loss when you have time to do so. The league is a buisiness that needs the best chance to succeed wherever it expands to in the end though, and opinions will always be mixed on if the Vegas success story was a good thing or a bad thing.

3-0 Colorado in Game 3 already with 3:30 left in the 1st.

Another top seed eliminated. 5-1 Colorado. Crazy.

Gaudreau is such a crybaby. Doesn't help that he looks 15 either.

Leaf fans getting a bit overexcited after tonight. You think they'd have learned by now it's never over until you win 4. Hell, if I was a Leafs fan I wouldn't even say anything anymore in the playoffs till they bagged the EC title at least.

Yeah, something was up. Not that he's ever been overly cheerful or open in pressers before or anything.

Ahh, well he looked pretty glum during that presser. Maybe someone died?

7-up with vodka. Sneakyyyy....

Been watching it. Holland looks so ******* crushed. And half in the bag. Look on the bright side, Kenny, you now have a cushy senior VP job where fans can't bag on you for team building.

HOLY s***!!! WELCOME HOME STEVIE!!!

I figure he's coming back. He only left in the first place because Holland wouldn't take a promotion. Now he's got some experience at the GM role from Tampa, did very well at it...this may have worked out perfectly. Some divine plan.

That's part of what i mean. All these franchises are stuck in perpetual losing seasons for the most part, but the expansion franchise wins the Western Conference in their first season, and may just do it again..or better. That's gotta piss these Carolina-type franchises right off. I really wonder how Vegas will treat that team when they start to suck. Will they stick around, or will the new shine wear off?

Jerseys are hurtin, but at least this is better than having Vegas make the Finals in their first season and leading SJ 3-1 now. Having an expansion franchise being pretty much an instant contender...something not right about that, at least to me. Plunk down your money and have a Cup. And I get the "it's good for the game" part, but they shouldn't have to be a contending team to have a fanbase in their city. Earn it.

I'm watching the Canes post game interviews. None of them seem too high on themselves or their play, staying humble and focused.

Oh, s***. Ya your right. I glanced at the wrong series leader on the NHL site during the game. Still good, all even. That McLovin dude Foegele is coming up big too.

But, we got a 4th for him! Oh, wait. That was upgraded to a hefty 3rd.

Game is over. Caps pushed hard in the final minute. Mraz held it down. First star. Canes tie the series...unreal.