chaps80

Rinne pulled after a 2-0 goal in the first? Hurt? Taking a break to calm down? Makes zero sense to play the goalie with no playoff experience in a Game 7.

And trade Nyquist for Grubauer straight up. I know goalies can be a draft crapshoot, but I was looking at other goalies on the board when the Wings chose some of theirs, and s***. When they took McCollum, there was Holtby, Allen, and Markstrom available. With Paterson, there was Murray, Andersen, and Hellebuyck. With Larsson, there was Reimer and Johnson. Neither of those two are a big deal but they've stuck around the NHL. Only McCollum is still in the system out of the three, but he's a career AHLer who was let go and brought back. Besides Howard and Mrazek, hasn't been much draft success in goaltending for a long time, although a couple in the pipeline are promising. But they won't be ready for years.

This, and Vas has had a great playoffs after a drop towards the end of the regular season. Holtby hasn’t been his usual disappointing playoff self either though, but he could implode at any time. Should be a good series.

Would be funny to see the Jets do what the other 6 Canadian teams haven’t been able to do for the past 20+ years in just 7 years after getting a franchise back in Winnipeg. The three Western teams blown Finals opportunities after all going to 7 games and the Leafs 50+ years of failure just adds to it.

Yep, i'd love to see that. Hopefully the Jets can bring the Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993.

Ahhhh yessss. Now the season is complete, Pens are gone. Hope the Jets win tonight and crush Vegas next round, although the first they owe Detroit is already in the 28-31 range so it's not gonna make much of a difference now.

Agreed. Part of what makes the cap era parity so ridiculous at times. Where you can make an instantly competitive roster out of an expansion draft. Teams had to scramble in this draft to make side deals for assets to protect players and were forced to expose players they really would have wanted to hang onto. Vegas was gifted a hell of a roster backstopped by a three time Cup winning goalie. Almost in the West Finals in their first season. Expansion teams are supposed to be made up of other teams castoffs that aren't really losses and suck for a few years at least, build up and earn the right to make the playoffs. At least Washington won tonight.

Maybe. Would be nice. Yeah, other chick is hotter.

Kronwall needs to retire after next season. Good run, bow out. Howard I wouldn't want to lock up that long. He may not even want the deal and want to test free agency. I'm sure he'd like to win a Cup, even if it's as a backup. One more season at half his current salary simply for stop gap if absolutely necessary if he can't be traded at the deadline. He's not an irreplaceable goalie we need to hold on to until he retires. There are goalies floating around the league that are younger that bring what he brings. Love to get Grubauer to come in and split with Jimmy next season then take over in 2019-20, but that's wishful thinking. A few teams will be after him. Agreed on Nyquist, but I think a second is max return. Tatar has been a healthy scratch for all but 4 playoff games, and teams will look at what they gave up to get one of the two from Detroit. Right now, Vegas overpaid massively. But they could afford to roll the dice. Other teams can't and won't. Yep. The big names are usually always re-signed. Bobrovsky is a UFA after next season, but expect him to be locked up before that. Rinne as well.

What do you mean? Everyone knows the Cup belongs to Pittsburgh. Now and forever. lol I hope the Sharks can rebound and win the next two. If they can win in Vegas tomorrow, they have a good shot to end it at home. If not, The Jets or Preds will be a tougher opponent. The Jets especially, they can wear a team down physically and have the scoring. And Burger Buff. Guy can control a game himself if he wants to.

Yeah, gotta give him credit for trying, but he signed the wrong players to the wrong contracts (although free agency is what it is depending on the year, so it's either sign who you can or hold off) and made that horrible Hall trade. Hall really helped Jersey turn things around. Talbot gave them great goaltending last season, looked like a fairly cheap, smart pickup. But he regressed this season, as most Oilers did. Makes me laugh to see what some of those four first overalls they inexplicably won turned out to be, besides McDavid of course, but he was a no brainer, and Hall, who they wasted so he doesn't factor in anymore. Yak was a joke, huge bust. Nuge, while not a bust, and is definitely chipping in, hasn't lived up to his first overall hype. So out of the four, they only got one elite player in the end. But he's a hell of a player that's for sure. Interested to see how they try to build around him going forward.

Snow probably won't trade the rights. The guy is stubborn as hell, i'm sure he thinks the kid will come around. Snow has nothing but time, in which he does nothing.

Just one of those things, like Why does Milbury still have a broadcasting job? This isn't the first time a Russian goalie refused to play for Snow and the Isles. Remember the Nabokov s***show where Detroit signed him for league minimum for playoff insurance with an option to re-sign the following season, and he agreed because he wanted a shot at a Cup. But, he had to clear waivers to re-enter the league. A few teams passed, but Snow couldn't help himself and snagged him. Nabby was pissed, refused to play for awhile, but finally came around when he knew he was stuck with Snow holding his contract re-sign option with Detroit over his head. He's a piece of s***. Guy returns to the league for a final Cup shot with a contender, and you bring him to the bowels of the league in NYI.

This is true. Edmonton could have done something had they loaded up right while McDavid was still on an ELC. They tried, sort of, but it didn't work. Bad signings, bad trades like the Hall one. Missed the playoffs after making it to the semis last season. McDavid's $12 million a year deal kicks in now, wasted opportunity.

The Leafs gotta keep the news rolling. Make their fanbase think someones gonna take the heat for their collapse. Lou is still with the franchise as a senior adviser, so he's not lost to them. But it's still a move, which is what will placate some fans. I dunno where the hell the Yzerman thing came from hahaha. They are probably promoting from within, with Kyle Dubas taking over the GM chair. Edit- Sorry, the all important link: http://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/simmons-time-for-maple-leafs-to-replace-gm-lou-lamoriello-wasnt-now

Cause most of their fanbase are millenials who jumped on the Crosby wagon a decade ago. The league is still screwed up, even with the cap. There is def more parity, but having a team currently 11 (looks like 10 now) playoff wins away from a three peat? Three peats haven't happened since the Isles four straight in the early 80's. Chicago winning 3 in 5 years, LA with 2 in 4. Yep. Empty netter seals a Pens win. Tie series. lol

Hahaha I forgot the water bottle incident. It just slipped out of his hand.. Man, I really wanted the Sens to finish them off on their own ice in Game 7!! Craig Anderson almost made it happen. He wanted that one badly. Come on Caps, under ten to go. Only down by one. Need some Ovie here.

Smith-Pelly, i believe. Don't get me wrong, the hit was suspension worthy, but three games for a top line forward in the middle of a playoff series? That doesn't happen often, then again when a guy gets away with a head hit early in the series, he might want to keep his nose clean instead of ending a young players season. What makes it funny is the irony. The Pens have been getting away with s*** for years. Crosby slashing Methot's finger in half, simple accident of course. Malkin's hit on Z in '09, no suspension. I'm so tired of that team and their entitled whiny attitudes and entitled whiny fanbase that likes to throw tantrums and things on the ice during play when they get denied a goal that was never a goal to start with. Just give em the Cup, again...

f*** no. Just roll with the 6th overall. And whatever Vegas gives us. Hopefully the Sharks can take them out.

If he’s gotta put the team on his back, he’s gotta do it. Too many failed playoff runs. Hammer down. Caps will be short Wilson now. Pens are in a small hole, gotta shoot em a lifeline! Some things never change.

No. It means he needs to listen to everyone involved to make the best decision, and I hope he will. Haha that one I can agree on. Legendary player, horrible coach. His flip outs were good entertainment though, never saw that from Wayne in his playing career.

Oh, he CAN screw it up. As long as he listens to everyone at the table though, I think it'll be ok. This is a huge draft for the Wings though, and I wish Holland weren't in charge, but he is. Time will tell if Illitch's decision was a good one or not. Whoever they draft will probably groan. "Great, I may have to play under Blashill."

Dig it.

I forgot guys like Larsson and Petruzzelli aren't signed. Fulcher can still play one more OHL season as an overager, and probably will. Hamilton will want to hang onto him. Even if they aren't in the playoff picture, they can flip him for assets. He's improved his numbers a lot from last season, has only three losses in 15 games these playoffs, Hamilton steamrolled everyone so far. There's no reason for the Wings to insist he turn pro. If things are run right, he shouldn't be rushed.

As long as the Pens and Vegas don't go any further thats all that matters to me. Sullivan's rant about the officiating after Game 2 was ******* hilarious. I hope they get f***ed for once, they've had a lot of help over the years.