Official 2011-12 NHL Playoff Thread

[Loosie]

Down goes Vancouver too. Wow.....wasn't expecting them in the Cup final this year but certainly not a loss against the Kings. Poor Vigneault, he will probably lose his job.

On a related note, Quick is just insane! Think the Kings can ride him to the end? That Blues/Kings series is going to be low scoring.

[batdad]

Quick was outstanding, like Thomas was outstanding. The Canucks just kept on doing what they always do, and did not adapt to the randomness of his style. The no quit, no technique style. Canucks refused to learn from their mistakes. If LA comes up against a team that has some brain power and is actually going to work to make him move and get out of position, or bump him and get in his face...Quick will not be so strong. Vancouver refuses to learn and make changes to offensive scheme in order to deeat a different type of goalie. (Thomas and Quick are basically the same goalie--neither is a good skater, their technique is not strong, and they never give up on things.)

That being said...Canucks are horrible. THey had no #2 centre this year as Kesler never fully got back from his hip surgery (not able to train in summer), plus he is not a C in traditional sense for top 6....he has ZERO vision on the ice.

Alex Edler is not a #1 Dman but the Canucks think he is.
Henrik and Daniel are great together....but often become too predictable and when you play the same team 5-6-7 games in a row they figure you out.

Canucks had no 2ndary offense. None. Mason Raymond not going to get it done. Nor will David Booth (too bad---kid has some skills but he is Kesler JR...no vision or hockey sense just speed and size)...Chris Higggins...nope, never has never will.

The Nucks are so overrated...they fed on the Adam Oates of the NW Divison, and won the Pres TRophy. But they need offensive creativity help and a real #1 or #2 dman. Edler, Hamhuis BIeksa are expected to play too high a role on this team.

Luongo? Schneider? Canucks need to promise COry that either he or Roberto will be dealt, and get him signed NOW. Cory will have 10 offersheets, and the compensation will be nowhere near his value. Kid is an Elite #1 goalie in this league. Tampa, Florida, Toronto, Columbus drooling over him.

get to Roberto now, and discuss him waving no trade...Toronto, Florida, Tampa WANT him there.

Move Roberto for a young stud (22-25) dman who is going to be a a #1 and a top pick.
OR
Move Cory for a 2nd line C with vision, a 2-3 dman who is 25 or so, and a top pick.

One of those two deals must be done.


And I hate to say it...because he is a great coach. But time for a new voice in the locker room. AV has to go. So does Bowness. Time for these guys to hear more voices.


Other thoughts:

Kesler--Do they have patience to wait and see what happens with health? If not....his value will be real high, move him maybe
Burrows-He can move any time
BIeksa--Same thing.

Not saying do all of those things....just thinking that one of them plus a goalie move need to be made.

[philou21]

Down goes Vancouver too. Wow.....wasn't expecting them in the Cup final this year but certainly not a loss against the Kings. Poor Vigneault, he will probably lose his job.

On a related note, Quick is just insane! Think the Kings can ride him to the end? That Blues/Kings series is going to be low scoring.

Oh yeah, Quick made a HUGE difference in the series. He was indeed outstanding.

On a side not, I just read that Backes is in the top three for the Selke......did I miss something?

[batdad]

Guess so. He is a bigger, just as fast stronger version of Ryan Kesler. Who actually sees he has teammates on the ice with him. And is less annoying.

[philou21]

I love the way you are bitching Kesler right now. Last year you were talking about him in the series that he was the most outstanding player ever. You're sad that they are eliminated aren't you?

[batdad]

He was real good last year. But I know for a fact he is a problem in the room right now. Not sad gone early. Can fix the room now. And it woke up most Canuck fans. This year Kesler reverted to his BS and was a dick outside the rink as a person. That is why don't like him

As for the NHL-possibly the worst final 8 teams ever. With one exception in phi.

I mean Philly,wash, Florida and Ottawa. Then LA, StL, Nash and Phoenix


How horrible for ratings will that Adam Oates be?

[Círyatan]

Thing is, Philou, last season Kesler was a beast. This year he was nowhere near that performance. I mean, he fulfills his defensive duties, but offensively his self-centredness prohibits him from contributing much to the team when he's not scoring. I still think he can go back to his former level, maybe a healthy summer and camp will do that.

Backes is exactly the guy I'd love to have. Great player.

Disappointed as I am, I would not pull the trigger on Vigneault. He's a terrific coach, and he has already shown that he can adjust his system well. I don't know if there's anyone better available. To be honest, Gillis + Vigneault is exactly the tandem I'd trust to lead this team forward, at least for another two years or so.

I don't know who to cheer for right now... St. Louis, I guess. Or Ottawa, I like rooting for the underdog.

[philou21]

@ Ciryatan, I know Vigneault is a good coach and I would hate to see him fired. But I got this feeling because both you and me knows how the NHL work sadly.....

@ Batdad,Alright, thanks for the clarification, same for Ciryatan. Too bad his head got too big. And honestly, talking about 8 worst teams. STL seems to have a nive crowd and hockey seem to have a nice market there, as well as NSH. Nashville crowd and fan base seems to be good, though not as much as STL. But you're right, that's not the package we are used to see.

[Loosie]

So whoever ends up coming out of the West will be playing for thier first ever cup. And man the goaltending in the West is insane. Rinne, Smith, Quick and Elliot/Halak. The 'best goalie' in each series in the west all had a GAA under 2, in the East that only applies to the NYR/OTT series right now. And how about Bryzgalov, the 'best' goalie in the PIT/PHI seires iwth a 3.89 GAA!

[batdad]

Smith will revert to himself. Quick will be exposed. Halak and Elliott are product of team. So...go Nashville. Did I just say that? Wow. Sad

[philou21]

Smith was just a beast against the Hawks. I'm so sad that they have won. Bettman is probably really happy though. I'm gonna look carefully the next Phoenix series, could be some weird things happenning to make them win, eh Buttman?

And Batdad, how is this sad? I think it's nice to see finally an expansion team been able to compete for the Cup. That's a nice change in the West it was always the same team like SJ, VCR and Detroit. Boring at some point.

[batdad]

Horrible horrible hockey markets. Only Nashville is becoming a good one. La cheers winners only. St loser is just that. Phoenix need I say more.
In the east we will possibly only have Philly as a hockey market. Ottawa has proven itself to be fickle and poor as well other than once Loafs get knocked off. Then Ottawa suddenly has a fan or two. Florida? New jersey? Always been bad markets. Washington gets thru and this is he worst final 8 in hockey history for ratings and economy of game.

People talk about this will grow the game. Bull. Florida already been there once- and how did that work? Phoenix better not win this Adam Oates. Then we end up with 1st team to win cup and move. No good.

[philou21]

Well if you're talking about hockey markets yes. But for me, who really doesn't care about that, like to see new teams go further into the playoffs. That means that everyone can improve over time. As for the money and all that Adam Oates, the NHL make enough of it already.

[batdad]

Not from those markets they won't. And the $ dont come in as fast when the teams that sell stuff are not in the playoffs. Sorry Philou...but Phoenix being in the finals is not going to bring in the $. Chicago would have raked in the $. Phoenix not so much.

[philou21]

Yeah Phoenix I know of course but still, the NHL claims each years how good they have made money, that's not 1 year with couple millions less that they gonna make me cry. They will not be bankrupt, you know that. Even teams that don't make the playoffs like the Leafs of MTL help getting a Adam Oates load of money with a losing team.

[Loosie]

No repeat this year, and two more game 7s tonight.

[batdad]

Argh. Barf . I want to shoot myself. GO RANGERS! GO DEVILS! Blech. Need a shower.

[archibalduk]

So that's the end of the Bruins' season then. I didn't catch many of the full games of the series (most of the games I saw were the extended highlights / condensed games), but it seemed the Caps were overall slightly the better team. I thought we'd edge it in game 7 as Holtby was somewhat shaky but he managed to hold out.

Ah well, GO RANGERS! GO KINGS!

[philou21]

Holtby did an outstanding job as a replace goalie. I knew the kid would be good but not as much, he did probably better than the starting goalies would've done.

[Danny]

Holtby did an outstanding job as a replace goalie. I knew the kid would be good but not as much, he did probably better than the starting goalies would've done.

His performance is being blown out of proportion. He was good, nothing more, then again, he didn't need to be anything more. Bruins had a milion shots and 3 scoring chances per game.

[philou21]

Soooo look at the frustrated guy. I know Bruins didn't had alot of scoring opportunities but still, there's a couple of games that the did at least 35-40 saves. That's pretty good for a rookie in playoffs.

[Danny]

Not sure how you read frustration out of that, you made an inaccurate comment and that's it. Dan Cloutier stops 30 out of 30 unscreened wristers from the point as well. Holtby did nothing that would warrant an "outstanding" rating. He made some nice saves and gave up some that he should've had, and his rebound control was suspect, but the Caps D did an outstanding job preventing second chances and bailing him out time and time again. That series win is on the Caps D, their system, their discipline and Hunter's balls to bench defensive liablities at the right time, not the goalie, no matter how bad some media people are trying to sell that.

[Loosie]

Devils win! Boston screws up the 'Former Champs' vs. 'No Champs' East vs. West vibe. Still 5 out of the remaining 8 teams are vying for their first ever championship.

[philou21]

I would've never thought I would be happy to see the Devils wins one day. Way to go! The only team that didn't really deserved to be in the playoffs IMO are out now.

[Loosie]

I don't see how the Panthers didn't deserve to be in the playoffs, even if you took away division winners get top 3, they were still top 8 in the East, they had a better record than Washington and Ottawa, so they would have been 6th.