Nhl thread

[Beanflicker]

The Islanders will be in the playoffs barring a complete breakdown. They've got solid goaltending in Halak and some scoring depth so they'll be a hard team to beat.

Glad to see Tavares emerge as the superstar they'd hope he'd be over the last few years. Guys like him and Stamkos are always going to be in the scoring race for the next 10 years or more.

Speaking of scoring races, Ovechkin scored 2 tonight to bring it to 52 and (barring a miracle) guaranteed his 5th Rocket Richard trophy (3rd straight). Happy for him, he had a rough few seasons where everyone said he was washed up, but since the lockout he's been back to his sniping self.

[El Kabong]

Playoff battles coming to a head now! Montreal, Tampa, NYR, The Caps, Blues, Preds, Chicago, the Wild, Ducks, and Vancouver are all locked in, now the question is: "Who else makes it?"

In the East Detroit, Boston, Ottowa, Isles, and Pens are all fighting for 2 spots and in the West Winnipeg, Calgary, and LA are duking it out.

Current playoff matchups look like this:
East
Montreal vs Pittsburgh
Tampa vs Detroit
NYR vs Boston
Caps vs Isles

West
Ducks vs Jets
Cannucks vs Flames
Blues vs Wild
Preds vs Chicago

Who are the most dangerous teams? Who will fold in the playoffs and who will rise to the occasion?

[palmerq]

Flames play the kings tonight, the kings can still overtake the flames I would assume, la are 2 points back although I don't know what their head to head record is.. I really hope it's not the kings that the canucks face or it might be a short play off adventure... Calgary v Canucks would be a pretty great playoff atmospehere, especially in calgary..

I think I'll be watching la v calgary tonight instead of the canucks game S:

[Beanflicker]

It's mind boggling to think of the teams that won't and PROBABLY won't make the playoffs this year.
San Jose will miss for the first time in like over 10 years (anything to do with stripping Jumbo Joe of the captaincy?). The Kings are looking doubtful, despite having the same core team that won Stanley Cups in 2 of the last 3 years (as I write this now, the kings are down 2-1 with under 5 minutes left while Winnipeg have gone to overtime. If LA lose, they're done). Boston are looking doubtful now. Florida has a strong team, so did Columbus, Dallas and Colorado - none of them are in the playoffs.

I like Nashville's chances this year, they have a lot of depth and a fire under their asses from being losers for so long. If the Senators make it, they can be a real threat. Since the all star break they have been the hottest team in the league. With Andrew Hammond in net, the Sens have gone an incredible 19-1-2

[brocktonblockbust]

If the Detroit Red Wings had a Steve Yzerman-type, they would be at the top.

[Beanflicker]

Stevie Y, still the greatest shot ever taken!

[El Kabong]

If the Detroit Red Wings had a Steve Yzerman-type, they would be at the top.

Jonathan Toews is as close as you can get to an Yzerman-esque player these days.


Yeah Beanflicker the Sharks not making it is odd seeing how they have been so talented for so long.

[Beanflicker]

Serves them right, they publicly put the blame on Joe Thornton for their playoff woes, a guy who's done nothing but put up points consistently for 10 years for them and was nothing but class. They shit on him, striped him of his captaincy and now they're out of the playoffs for the first time since he started leading the franchise... go figure.

[Beanflicker]

Jonathan Toews is as close as you can get to an Yzerman-esque player these days.

Yeah Toews is the perfect comparison for him.