NHL 2016 - 2018 (non-Capitals)

[mitlen]

Caps won 8 games in their first season...that's pretty good

It was non-agonizing (except for the drive) goin' to the Cap Centre in the early days.    No expectations.   

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Same with '04-'06.  After the lockout you could get 4 nosebleeds for $20.

Just think, if the Caps hadn't made that run in '08 and had tanked instead, Stamkos could be a Cap right now (edit: IIRC we were in dead last when Hanlon got the axe after Thanksgiving, so tanking would not have been much of a problem).  That run was pretty intense tho

[Natsinpwc]

https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-world-championship-results-news-and-notes/c-298433056?tid=280550118

Missed the game. Assume the semis will be Saturday. Some good hockey.

[Natsinpwc]

sports are unfair

Vegas had the league over a barrel. they got a roster of solid players, many of which had potential to be more. no one expected to be this good obviously but a roster of 10-15 goal scorers, most of which are young and fast, and a defensive corps of speed (which was a good job by GMGM to see the trend of the league for once), and a cup-winning goaltender...it is not shocking that they are a good team that has now developed into a force. also their coach is good - he was fired by florida because florida was freaking stupid.

not to mention about 3/4 of the league is run by dinosaurs who just rotate teams they manage or just go with former players and are terrible GMs, so McPhee being a solid GM off the bat gave him an advantage. i would bet at least half the league would trade their roster/situation for Vegas pre-expansion draft.

They relaxed the rules for sure but they still Were not getting any first or second line forwards or D (except for Nate Schmidt). Did anyone predict guys like Karlson or Marchessault would have breakout years like this?  Also most everyone was down on Fleury. He had lost his job in Pittsburgh. Now he looks like the beat goalie in the league. That seems liked a smart GM and some great coaching.

[Natsinpwc]

Las Vegas is already a great story. It's just hockey, so no one really knows. When was the last time you can recall an expansion team being good in their first year

Never as far as I know.

[UMDNats]

They relaxed the rules for sure but they still Were not getting any first or second line forwards or D (except for Nate Schmidt). Did anyone predict guys like Karlson or Marchessault would have breakout years like this?  Also most everyone was down on Fleury. He had lost his job in Pittsburgh. Now he looks like the beat goalie in the league. That seems liked a smart GM and some great coaching.

James Neal is a top-line forward, even on a 1-year deal. He's good offensively and a good fit for them. fluery has outperformed but i think everyone expected him to be good. he lost his job mainly due to injury and the fact that murray had won 2 cups and was younger.

Marchessault has been good before and breakouts like Schmidt, Theodore, etc. are not unexpected. They've caught lightning in a bottle but they also had a pretty big bottle.

[Natsinpwc]

James Neal is a top-line forward, even on a 1-year deal. He's good offensively and a good fit for them. fluery has outperformed but i think everyone expected him to be good. he lost his job mainly due to injury and the fact that murray had won 2 cups and was younger.

Marchessault has been good before and breakouts like Schmidt, Theodore, etc. are not unexpected. They've caught lightning in a bottle but they also had a pretty big bottle.

If it was that obvious that those guys were going to break out then the teams that lost them would have chosen others to not protect. They basically have a team of guys who were third and fourth liners and are competing with the best. Very impressive job by McPhee and Gallant. Fleury wasn't dog poop but he lost his job to a guy who is not really great. He is playing like he did when he first came up.

https://www.google.com/amp.charlotteobserver.com/sports/article210819619.html

[imref]

The golden knights opening from last night was insane:

[mitlen]

The golden knights opening from last night was insane:

That was one of the wildest openings I've ever seen at a sporting event.    I usually ignore pre-game stuff as I putt around doin' other things.   I couldn't quit watching  ...  What were they gonna do next?     Was it goin' to end?

[Natsinpwc]

That was one of the wildest openings I've ever seen at a sporting event.    I usually ignore pre-game stuff as I putt around doin' other things.   I couldn't quit watching  ...  What were they gonna do next?     Was it goin' to end?

That was the same reaction I had--made me wonder what they would do with the Caps?

[Natsinpwc]

https://www.nhl.com/news/hockey-world-championship-results-news-and-notes/c-298433056?tid=280550118

Missed the game. Assume the semis will be Saturday. Some good hockey.

USA Plays Sweden Saturday morning at 9.  Assume it will be on NHL Network.  Canada plays Switzerland later that day; the Swiss upset the Finns.  Some good hockey--most of the top players from the NHL except from the final four teams.

[mitlen]

Hope Vegas has a new intro show tonight. 



EDIT:    2nd time through it takes on a President's Race feel.

[mitlen]

Wayne Newton's gonna blow a gasket.

[Natsinpwc]

Wayne Newton's gonna blow a gasket.

Missed that.

[mitlen]

Missed that.

He did the hand cranked siren.     Through all the gruntin' and effort, the face didn't even crease.     Lots of paraffin in that mug.   

[Natsinpwc]

He did the hand cranked siren.     Through all the gruntin' and effort, the face didn't even crease.   

Modern science is amazing.

[mitlen]

Modern science is amazing.

I had to google it to spell it but I went with paraffin.

[Natsinpwc]

I had to google it to spell it but I went with paraffin.

Old school.

[Natsinpwc]

Bfufglin looks terrible 

[Slateman]

We're all just living inside someone's EA NHL franchise save

[Natsinpwc]

USA Plays Sweden Saturday morning at 9.  Assume it will be on NHL Network.  Canada plays Switzerland later that day; the Swiss upset the Finns.  Some good hockey--most of the top players from the NHL except from the final four teams.

USA was spanked by Sweden--6-0.  Watched the second period.  They not only didn't scored on a 4-minute power play but gave up a short handed goal. 

[varoadking]

Vegas advances...

[mitlen]

Vegas advances...

What's the Cup they're passin' around?

[varoadking]

What's the Cup they're passin' around?

Western Conference Championship Trophy...

[mitlen]

Western Conference Championship Trophy...

Thanks