Official 2007/08 NHL Play-offs Thread

[BruceM]

Originally Posted by boilermaker

Is it just me or is home ice advantage a bunch of bull?

Not just in the NHL but across the board through the minors and juniors, it seems like the road team is just as likely to be more focused than when they are at home and generally play better. I'm sure the home team in playoff hockey has better than a .500 record, but I bet it's a lot closer to five-hundred than any other sport.

Not counting Ducks/Stars, Wild/Avs, & Sharks/Flames games tonight, home teams are 13 - 11 in this years play-offs.

[silvam14]

Ugh! Last night's B's game was painful to watch. The past three games, the Bruins have clearly outskated, outhit, and out hustled the habs. The only thing they can't do, is what it takes to win, that is score.

Extremely frustrating. Glen Murray should hang em up, he looked old and tired last night.

[ZiggyPop]

Originally Posted by silvam14

Ugh! Last night's B's game was painful to watch. The past three games, the Bruins have clearly outskated, outhit, and out hustled the habs. The only thing they can't do, is what it takes to win, that is score.

Extremely frustrating. Glen Murray should hang em up, he looked old and tired last night.

I wouldn't say they outskated them yesterday when you consider the game as a whole. But as you said, the problem is Montreal outscored them and were better in the nets.

But hey, Kudos to the Bruins, they are doing a lot with not much!

[silvam14]

Originally Posted by ZiggyPop

I wouldn't say they outskated them yesterday when you consider the game as a whole. But as you said, the problem is Montreal outscored them and were better in the nets.

But hey, Kudos to the Bruins, they are doing a lot with not much!

Well, when I said outskated, I meant that it seemed the Bruins were getting to loose pucks first, even in the offensive zone. I expected much more of an effort from Montreal but it turned out the Bruins only had to make one mistake to lose the game.

Sturm should have had one and so should have Krejci.

[Operation Shutdown]

So has anyone else noticed the Flyers taking runs at Cristobal Huet or is it just my anti-Flyers bias, hating them for everything they do. I don't know, it just seems to me that he's getting run into by Flyers players at a fairly decent clip and it also seems they're not being the least bit shy about it either.

IMO, the NHL needs to crack down on this. They can't have players taking deliberate runs at the goaltenders. I have no problem with players screening goalies that occassionally get a little too much in the way but when you have what Hartnell did in Game 2 and what others did last night, I think it's going a little too far. I don't even know if I can watch Flyers games anymore, I just get too angry at them.

[Erik W.]

Originally Posted by silvam14

Well, when I said outskated, I meant that it seemed the Bruins were getting to loose pucks first, even in the offensive zone.

That was by design. The Habs were letting the Bruins get to the puck first then delivering the hits rather than the way it usually happens for the speedier team, which is the reverse.

It worked, because very few of the Bruins' 27 shots were dangerous, and the ones that were generally came from mistakes in the neutral zone or during changes and not from the boards.

[BruceM]

Well, it's all over for the Sens. Cudos to the Pens, they played very well and will be a difficult challange for anyone who faces them.

Where do the Sens start this off-season?

They need a #1 goalie, lose Emery and keep Gerber as a #2.

They need a coach, they'll need some more grit and should trade either Spezza or Heatley. Either would bring a nice return.

Should be interesting to see what changes take place this summer.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by BruceM

Well, it's all over for the Sens. Cudos to the Pens, they played very well and will be a difficult challange for anyone who faces them.

It did help that they faced a team that mentally decided the season was done in Janaury or so. the Hetley injury seemed to take the wind out of their sails for good.

Originally Posted by BruceM

They need a #1 goalie

The story of the franchaise since it's latest inception..

Originally Posted by BruceM

lose Emery

good luck. He'll be the albatross around their necks, and I doubt they'll find as good of a give me deal as the Yashin one. If they do find something, it'll be them losing on the deal.

Originally Posted by BruceM

and keep Gerber as a #2.

Normally Id' agree except he's the only one that showed up for this series.

Originally Posted by BruceM

They need a coach,

No arguement there. The Sens seem to need a strong hand to keep them focused. Wonder if Bowman or Burns are bored?

Originally Posted by BruceM

...they'll need some more grit and should trade either Spezza or Heatley. Either would bring a nice return.

Grit's not the problem. Having a team that can not only survive but prosper when one of it's stars goes down with injury is what is needed. The Sens for particalyl all of 2008 were a one line team. If you do what you're suggesting, you might as well rebuild. We saw the result of what happens when Heatley or Alfie goes down with injury; a team that is barely good enough to make the playoffs.

The excuses are getting old in Ottawa. They arent' happy with just making the playoffs. they want success. If this bunch cant' do it, then it's time to ship them off the old blood for ones that can. Even if it means rebuilding from scratch. They have the psychical talent of champions, but the mental toughness of a pee-wee team getting blown out. They just have to be motivated to win past March, and that problem I think is part players not getting it done over and over, and part management not lighting a fire under their ass.

Originally Posted by BruceM

Should be interesting to see what changes take place this summer.

Indeed.

[BruceM]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

Grit's not the problem. Having a team that can not only survive but prosper when one of it's stars goes down with injury is what is needed. The Sens for particalyl all of 2008 were a one line team. If you do what you're suggesting, you might as well rebuild. We saw the result of what happens when Heatley or Alfie goes down with injury; a team that is barely good enough to make the playoffs.

I didn't say grit was the only problem, just that it was something they need. Trading Heatley or Spezza would give them a good return in more than one area. It's quite obvious keeping them together isn't the road to victory, so mix it up a bit and see if they can get a different type of character on the team. Standing pat with the big three of Alfie, Spezza, Heatley is not going to change much on this team.

[canadiancreed]

No but the thing is once you get past the big three, it's a middle of the road team. Trading say Heatley ro Alfie will net you enough to maybe finish sixth, get a first round win.....but this team needs at least two good lines. Guys that they can move alfie or spezza to the second line instead of relying on them to always get goals and the rest of the team basically sucking win.

Will movign oen of the guys do it? Maybe, but it'll entirely depend on the market, and I dont' think the market will be friendly. Also look at the sens result with oen of the trhee gone. It wasnt' pretty.

Now that I think of it they're damned regardles s of what direction they go in barring drafting some kid that rockets up the charts. It'll be intresting to see what happens (aka painful.)

[BruceM]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

but this team needs at least two good lines. Guys that they can move alfie or spezza to the second line instead of relying on them to always get goals and the rest of the team basically sucking win.

They've already tried that route many times, breaking up the big three and it doesn't work. I'd say the market would be pretty good for Spezza or Heatley. A change of scenery might just do them some good too.

[Kekkonen]

Originally Posted by BruceM

They need a #1 goalie, lose Emery and keep Gerber as a #2.

Emery has two years left in his contract, with a cap hit of $3,166,667, according to The Hockey News. Gerber will be entering the final season of his contract, which costs $3,7 million under the cap. For a legitimate #1 guy, neither would be expensive, but they cost way, way too much for someone who plays back-up minutes. I'd say Emery is just about untradeable unless his play changes noticeably. Gerber might actually be good trade bait at the trade deadline, if there is a contender who wants an experienced back-up as an insurance for the play-offs.

[Muppetus Galacticus]

Emery will be bought out, it would be suicidal to keep him around

[Kekkonen]

Originally Posted by Muppetus Galacticus

Emery will be bought out, it would be suicidal to keep him around

If the rules for this go like they did with the Islanders' Yashin buy-out, they'd have to pay Emery two thirds of the remaining value of his contract over twice the remaining contract length. That would mean something in the neighborhood of $1,1 million for the next 4 years.

Not that bad, if you ask me. In fact, it means that maybe he isn't quite as untradeable as I thought, if there is a GM somewhere willing to take on the gamble. Because the fact is, he's got talent but he's a headcase; headcases can be cured (even though the odds are always greatly against that happening), but there's just no cure for lack of talent.

[Operation Shutdown]

Originally Posted by canadiancreed

No but the thing is once you get past the big three, it's a middle of the road team. Trading say Heatley ro Alfie will net you enough to maybe finish sixth, get a first round win.....but this team needs at least two good lines. Guys that they can move alfie or spezza to the second line instead of relying on them to always get goals and the rest of the team basically sucking win.

Sounds similar to what a lot of Penguins fans were saying before we picked up Hossa. Regardless of how many goals he scores for us, just the fact that picking him up allowed the Penguins to roll two top lines (one with Crosby and one with Malkin) is paying huge dividends to the team in the playoffs.

That along with the huge step up in play from guys like Malkin, Fleury and Malone are reasons we have a legitimate shot at the Cup.

I still think Ottawa played a decent series, just that they didn't have that burning desire that they seemed to have last year. It was really interesting to see the roles completely reversed from the playoff series last year. Last year, the Penguins seemed to have no idea what to expect and only Crosby and Roberts were really able to elevate (or even maintain) their game. This year, even though Ottawa knew what to expect, they just didn't seem to care or maybe it got to their heads that they just couldn't win, IDK. Anyway, good luck with the offseason Ottawa and here's to hoping we can meet again sometime down the line.

[silvam14]

Sweet! Nice Bruins Win! Price fell apart after that goal he gave away

[Erik W.]

Unless the Flames can come back, every team I was rooting for tonight will have lost.

I guess I picked a bad week to stop sniffing glue.

[Kekkonen]

I know how you feel, Erik.

[Kekkonen]

The Sens have had enough of Emery. They're looking to trade him, but the buy-out looks like an attractive option if nobody bites:

There is speculation the Senators will buy out Emery's contract. He is still owed two years and $6.75 million on the contract he signed last offseason. But under the collective bargaining agreement, the Senators have to pay him only one-third of his remaining salary, because players have to be 26 or older at the time of a buyout, and Emery does not turn 26 until September.

[canadiancreed]

Originally Posted by Kekkonen

The Sens have had enough of Emery. They're looking to trade him, but the buy-out looks like an attractive option if nobody bites:

PING: Four months overdue.

It wont' solve all their problems, but at least its' a start. Man this guy coudl write a book on how to go from hero to zero.