Official NHL Season 2016-2017 Thread

[CJ]

Never understood that fantasy hockey thing. Is it something you have to pay for?

I've tried a few years ago some free ones, and of course I was pretty good at it, haha!

Some people do leagues where they pay and have the chance at winning a cash prize. Some people pay for tools and such that help them play fantasy hockey. It's usually just free though. At it's core, it's just a competition between a bunch of people where you're drafting your team, managing your roster, and deciding who plays when. I know a lot of people like fantasy hockey because having a player on your team makes watching a game more interesting.

What soites should I visit so I can sign up?

PS: Wolski broke his neck at two places
It doesn't require surgery though

[ClassicSwarley]

CJ, I use Yahoo as most of my friends use that site(maybe there's a better alternative though).

[philou21]

Another 3 pts game for McDavid. I hope the kid will not be injured severely again this year so we can see what he can do in 82 games.

[ClassicSwarley]

All these young guys scoring points in the first games of the season always gets me very hyped. I often catch myself hyping some Flyers rookie maybe a little too much but it's very fun to be excited for a prospect. I hope McDavid stays healthy and keeps racking on the points, I'd love to see him do wonders in this league.

[CJ]

Another 3 pts game for McDavid. I hope the kid will not be injured severely again this year so we can see what he can do in 82 games.

He'll do 99 pts.

[Ukko]

Gets me very hyped too, I'm curious to see how well the new guns do along with McDavid and last years' rookies

[Peter_Doherty]

It's think McDavid is the best offensive player in the league already and that he'll win Art Ross if he stays healthy.

[philou21]

Draisatil is going to be interesting to watch too.

[bruins72]

CJ, I use Yahoo as most of my friends use that site(maybe there's a better alternative though).

I used to do a Yahoo league for several years. I think the TBL league uses ESPN, IIRC.

[Aladyyn]

Oilers looked like the Oilers last night. No other team is as mentally frail as the Oilers have been this past decade and it's going to prevent them from being good if nothing changes.

In other news, Bylsma made good adjustments to his system and we looked like a proper organized NHL team last night

[nino33]

Oilers looked like the Oilers last night. No other team is as mentally frail as the Oilers have been this past decade and it's going to prevent them from being good if nothing changes.

I don't think another poor performance from Talbot helped much, giving up 6 goals on 23 shots (and the game winner from the other side of center ice!); in three games Talbot's save percentage is 0.869 so it's actually amazing the Oilers have won two of the three

The game winning goal...just brutal goaltending https://twitter.com/CMS_74_/status/7878 ... 16/photo/1

[Peter_Doherty]

Talbot is a decent goalie, that game however was not decent.

[ClassicSwarley]

That GWG was awfully unfortunate for the Oilers

[Aladyyn]

Oilers looked like the Oilers last night. No other team is as mentally frail as the Oilers have been this past decade and it's going to prevent them from being good if nothing changes.

I don't think another poor performance from Talbot helped much, giving up 6 goals on 23 shots (and the game winner from the other side of center ice!); in three games Talbot's save percentage is 0.869 so it's actually amazing the Oilers have won two of the three

The game winning goal...just brutal goaltending https://twitter.com/CMS_74_/status/7878 ... 16/photo/1

Talbot's performance didn't help but they still only scored 2 goals. Team is too reliant on McDavid to do it all.

[nino33]

They've only played 3 games! They're not going to win them all HaHa
Last year Talbot's save% was below .900 until Christmas, so goaltending is a bigger concern than mental toughness/relying on McDavid IMO

[Aladyyn]

Easier to get a new goaltender than to get a whole top 6 line.

But yea, it's another long-term issue with that team

[philou21]

A very good goalie is the only thing right now the Oilers truly miss. In offense it's alright and in defense it's still decent IMO. Except McDavid, Draisatil is becoming pretty solid too.

[Peter_Doherty]

I definitely think their defense is a bigger issue then Talbot, he's right around an average starter in the league according to the 'advanced' stats.

[nino33]

I definitely think their defense is a bigger issue then Talbot, he's right around an average starter in the league according to the 'advanced' stats.

This article from January of last season has an "advanced stat" showing Talbot to be the worst starter (top 30) in the NHL at the time http://www.coppernblue.com/2016/1/14/10 ... ing-talbot

If he plays horrible for months, and then extra well when the season's already lost, he ends up average HaHa.....I think Oiler fans are hoping he's not such a slow starter again this year

[CJ]

He's still unproven. Only one season as a #1 Goalie. And that with one of the worst teams and defence in the league.

[Peter_Doherty]

nino - There is a clear sample size issue on that link you posted.

He's above average in the last 3 years according to adjGSAA/60 and AAA%, by quite a margin aswell i might add.

[nino33]

nino - There is a clear sample size issue on that link you posted.

He's above average in the last 3 years according to adjGSAA/60 and AAA%, by quite a margin aswell i might add.

Two of those years where with the Rangers as a backup, so I think there's definitely a different kind of sample size issue with what you're saying

They showed his 2015-16 save% by month on screen during one of the games against Calgary, and he was below .900 until Christmas and then above .930 in the final months of the season (finishing at .917)

He's clearly unproven and inconsistent IMO...so far this year he's overplayed things/lost his positioning easily, not good in an era where being in position is about all most goalies do

[Peter_Doherty]

I stand by that Oilers defense is a much bigger issue then Talbot, everything he's done in the NHL so far tells me he's about an average starter in the league. Their defense is pretty far from average.

[nino33]

They showed his 2015-16 save% by month on screen during one of the games against Calgary

YouTuber "Serge 72" has been posting 2016-17 regular season NHL games, and I've watched 6 already! currently watching the recent Montreal/Buffalo game.....haven't watched a regular season game in years until recently

A very good goalie is the only thing right now the Oilers truly miss. In offense it's alright and in defense it's still decent IMO. Except McDavid, Draisatil is becoming pretty solid too.

I'm not as confident in their defense HaHa

I stand by that Oilers defense is a much bigger issue then Talbot, everything he's done in the NHL so far tells me he's about an average starter in the league. Their defense is pretty far from average.

I can accept that, as in modern hockey/nowadays I think that the goalie is the least important person on the ice (you can win a Stanley Cup with an "average goalie" nowadays); most NHL goalies nowadays are essentially shooter tutors that play a style that require their defense to be systematic/structured/good

[ClassicSwarley]

YouTuber "Serge 72" has been posting 2016-17 regular season NHL games, and I've watched 6 already! currently watching the recent Montreal/Buffalo game.....haven't watched a regular season game in years until recently

Could you link him here or over PM? I searched for him but I couldn't find the channel. I have a source where I watch NHL games but the skipping is a bit too irregular for me so another source wouldn't hurt.