Playoffs discussion

[glen a richter]

And the Vegas Golden Knights are your Western Conference Champions.

Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of that.

I wish I'd laid down a couple hundred on them in September. Oh well.

At this point I guess I'm happy for them and their fans. Las Vegas (the city) had a tough start for the year, so go for it. Take the Cup.

[Toasted Oates]

Reaves with the GWG last night, Oshie tonight.

Bluuuuues hockey.

[theohall]

So there is a chance yet another Stanley Cup could go to a former Blues player. Guaranteed if the Caps win Game 7.

[WaukeeBlues]

And the Vegas Golden Knights are your Western Conference Champions.

Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of that.

I wish I'd laid down a couple hundred on them in September. Oh well.

At this point I guess I'm happy for them and their fans. Las Vegas (the city) had a tough start for the year, so go for it. Take the Cup.

The real scary thing for me is that there's no reason to think this is a one off. With the cap space they have and the top picks from last year's draft maturing there's a VERY real possibility this thing turns into the D word (dynasty). McPhee can keep this group together as long as he wants. At least the next 2-3 seasons minimum. Partially depends on how heavy the cap hits are for James Neal/ Perron if they decide to re-sign.

Also, tell me why John Tavares wouldn't want to play in Vegas for the rest of his career? Just a thought.

I'm out of words and explanations for what Vegas is doing. Absurd, ridiculous, all those things. Jason York said on NHL Network radio that if nothing else this is a team of 3rd line guys and that makes them uniquely dangerous in today's NHL pace of play. Makes a lot of sense. Across the board almost every single player stepped up their game to a new level few thought possible... it's just nuts. Nate Schmidt could become (and maybe already is) a #1 defenseman in the league now...

Yea, in hindsight you want the Oshie deal back, especially since we just let Brouwer walk via UFA but hey, it made sense at the time.

If Klim Kostin does ANYTHING (and frankly even if he doesn't) getting that low first round pick for Reaves was a fleecing by Army on the Pens.

I hope the Caps win tonight, I want Ovie to win a cup. He deserves it.

[glen a richter]

If Klim Kostin does ANYTHING (and frankly even if he doesn't) getting that low first round pick for Reaves was a fleecing by Army on the Pens.

Has Klim Kostin ever scored the WCF clinching goal to send his team to the Cup finals?

[WaukeeBlues]

If Klim Kostin does ANYTHING (and frankly even if he doesn't) getting that low first round pick for Reaves was a fleecing by Army on the Pens.

Has Klim Kostin ever scored the WCF clinching goal to send his team to the Cup finals?

Haha not yet

[gaijin]

The Caps demolish the Lightning in Tampa 4-0 in Game 7 to become Eastern Conference Champions.

So the stage is set- Ryan Reaves or TJ Oshie?

[WaukeeBlues]

The Caps demolish the Lightning in Tampa 4-0 in Game 7 to become Eastern Conference Champions.

So the stage is set- Ryan Reaves or TJ Oshie?

Don't forget our boy Perron and his career statistical year.

[glen a richter]

Ultimately I'd prefer Washington because I feel bad for Ovechkin, but I wouldn't be upset with Vegas only because of how much garbage that city had to deal with early in the season.

Of course Vegas winning it all in year one could be a death knell down the road. Spoiled fans who won't know what to do when their team goes through the inevitable doldrums somewhere down the road, attendance plummets and the team falters and has to relocate. At least we're not spoiled, the Blues have been in the doldrums for over a half century...... Vegas fans, however... man, they've been suffering for months without a Cup.

[gaijin]

The Caps demolish the Lightning in Tampa 4-0 in Game 7 to become Eastern Conference Champions.

So the stage is set- Ryan Reaves or TJ Oshie?

Don't forget our boy Perron and his career statistical year.

Oh, that's right. How could I have forgotten Perron?

[glen a richter]

Reaves + Perron 1, Oshie + Eller 0

[theohall]

Oshie was a beast in game 1, though. If a couple of the Caps up their game the way Oshie did, Game 2 could easily go the other way.

Looks like it's going to be a great series.

Former Blues - Game 1 - 4 points (1 G, 3A) - Reaves 1G, Oshie 2A, Perron 1A.

Folks keep forgetting the empty netter for which Perron got an assist.

And I'm still ticked the Blues traded Oshie because he and Hitchcock didn't get along thanks to Hitch's offensively stifling system. Oshie's style of play works perfectly under the new rules, while Hitch's system is dead at the NHL level. The 3rd round pick acquired in that trade was packaged with the Blues 2016 1st round pick to move up two spots to acquire Tage Thompson. So... would we rather have Oshie now, or Thompson later. Jury is still out on Thompson.

This is what that whole trade actually amounted to, since the Blues traded that 3rd round pick back to the Capitals along with the Blues 1st to move up those 2 spots.

Oshie
1st round pick 28 (Garret Pilon)

Brouwer
Copley
1st round pick 26 (Tage Thompson)

Pilon looks like just as good a prospect as Thompson, if not better.

As of now... since Copley went back to the Caps with Shattenkirk, and the Blues got the Caps 2017 first rounder:

Oshie and Pilon for Thompson and Klim Kostin now that all the pieces have stopped moving.

[Kerfuffle]

Ultimately I'd prefer Washington because I feel bad for Ovechkin, but I wouldn't be upset with Vegas only because of how much garbage that city had to deal with early in the season.

Of course Vegas winning it all in year one could be a death knell down the road. Spoiled fans who won't know what to do when their team goes through the inevitable doldrums somewhere down the road, attendance plummets and the team falters and has to relocate. At least we're not spoiled, the Blues have been in the doldrums for over a half century...... Vegas fans, however... man, they've been suffering for months without a Cup.

I agree Glen. I'm not a Washington fan by any means but I'm rooting for them only because they don't have a cup and have been around longer. The Vegas story is neat and all but they don't know what it means to suffer and everything has been way too easy for them all season. Rangers 54 years, Leafs 51 and counting, Blackhawks 49 - all three franchises have suffered and know what misery is. To have some team come in and win it all their first season sucks. They have a spoiled fan base and you are right, let's see if folks still come when they rebuild. Lots of their guys are UFA and RFA after the season and are playing for contracts too.

[WaukeeBlues]

Oshie was a beast in game 1, though. If a couple of the Caps up their game the way Oshie did, Game 2 could easily go the other way.

Looks like it's going to be a great series.

Former Blues - Game 1 - 4 points (1 G, 3A) - Reaves 1G, Oshie 2A, Perron 1A.

Folks keep forgetting the empty netter for which Perron got an assist.

And I'm still ticked the Blues traded Oshie because he and Hitchcock didn't get along thanks to Hitch's offensively stifling system. Oshie's style of play works perfectly under the new rules, while Hitch's system is dead at the NHL level. The 3rd round pick acquired in that trade was packaged with the Blues 2016 1st round pick to move up two spots to acquire Tage Thompson. So... would we rather have Oshie now, or Thompson later. Jury is still out on Thompson.

This is what that whole trade actually amounted to, since the Blues traded that 3rd round pick back to the Capitals along with the Blues 1st to move up those 2 spots.

Oshie
1st round pick 28 (Garret Pilon)

Brouwer
Copley
1st round pick 26 (Tage Thompson)

Pilon looks like just as good a prospect as Thompson, if not better.

As of now... since Copley went back to the Caps with Shattenkirk, and the Blues got the Caps 2017 first rounder:

Oshie and Pilon for Thompson and Klim Kostin now that all the pieces have stopped moving.

It was also during the time period where the Blues were desperate to make changes for their own sake. And the next series we beat the Hawks in 7. Kinda hard to argue with results when you get them.

Don't get me wrong, I loved Oshie when he was here and said we traded him. Honestly though if you look at his contract, it's an albatross. Caps vastly overpaying in term in order to keep him. That will be a nightmare contract in 3-4 years time, if not sooner.

The "what if" game is always an exercise in guesswork. Hey: at least it wasn't like the Seguin trade from the Bruins to the Stars, haha.

[glen a richter]

This is a perpetual problem, ever since Murray, through Hitchcock and now with Yeo. They hire coaches who cannot and will not squeeze every ounce of skill out of their players.

I said in some thread, possibly this one, that even Berglund could have been so much better if he had the right coach. Tarasenko is great because he's a unique talent who will succeed in spite of his coach and even he could be better. Perron could have been better, Backes could have been better, they all could have been better if they had a coach who just let the guys play. Just imagine what Oshie and Perron could have been with a coach who was willing to adapt to the 21st century game--oh wait, we don't have to imagine it because we're seeing it firsthand as they play for the Cup with other teams.

When do we start calling the Blues the farm team for the rest of the NHL? They're like the Oakland A's of hockey except at least the A's have won some titles.

[theohall]

case in point about wrong coaches for the talent... this season was the fewest goals and assists Tarasenko had in a single season over the past 4 years in a season when most scorers around the same age actually increased their point production thanks to the new rules. He actually had more goals and assists in 3 fewer games in 14-15.
Thanks, Mike Yeo!!

This is what scares me next season if the prospects make the team. Yeo hampering their offensive side and us complaining about them not producing, when it's Yeo who is the offense killing coach. Heck, Tage Thompson looked like a shadow of himself (to the point he became the 13th forward) in the World Championships this season compared to what he had done in the World Juniors in 16-17.

[WaukeeBlues]

case in point about wrong coaches for the talent... this season was the fewest goals and assists Tarasenko had in a single season over the past 4 years in a season when most scorers around the same age actually increased their point production thanks to the new rules. He actually had more goals and assists in 3 fewer games in 14-15.
Thanks, Mike Yeo!!

This is what scares me next season if the prospects make the team. Yeo hampering their offensive side and us complaining about them not producing, when it's Yeo who is the offense killing coach. Heck, Tage Thompson looked like a shadow of himself (to the point he became the 13th forward) in the World Championships this season compared to what he had done in the World Juniors in 16-17.

At some point Armstrong has to step in to correct this problem if Yeo won't do it himself. I think I overheard on NHL Network radio in regards to Ottawa that this was sort of happening down the stretch: the GM basically ordering Boucher to play the kids when it's close between a vet or a call up. It usually doesn't go over very well (stepping on the coach's toes, etc) but I struggle to understand how you can watch other teams push the kids and drastically improve because of it (*cough* Colorado) and then sit there and go "nope, this is fine" and keep rolling out the garbage vets while the kids are buried on the 4th line.

Whatever... I'm just getting angry now...

[glen a richter]

case in point about wrong coaches for the talent... this season was the fewest goals and assists Tarasenko had in a single season over the past 4 years in a season when most scorers around the same age actually increased their point production thanks to the new rules. He actually had more goals and assists in 3 fewer games in 14-15.
Thanks, Mike Yeo!!

This is what scares me next season if the prospects make the team. Yeo hampering their offensive side and us complaining about them not producing, when it's Yeo who is the offense killing coach. Heck, Tage Thompson looked like a shadow of himself (to the point he became the 13th forward) in the World Championships this season compared to what he had done in the World Juniors in 16-17.

At some point Armstrong has to step in to correct this problem if Yeo won't do it himself. I think I overheard on NHL Network radio in regards to Ottawa that this was sort of happening down the stretch: the GM basically ordering Boucher to play the kids when it's close between a vet or a call up. It usually doesn't go over very well (stepping on the coach's toes, etc) but I struggle to understand how you can watch other teams push the kids and drastically improve because of it (*cough* Colorado) and then sit there and go "nope, this is fine" and keep rolling out the garbage vets while the kids are buried on the 4th line.

Whatever... I'm just getting angry now...

Armstrong is part and parcel to the problem. He's not going to step in to correct the problem when he's building the team he and Yeo (and Hitchcock) all want(ed). With a new coach must come also a new GM.

[theohall]

(*cough* Colorado)

*cough**cough* Tampa - Brayden Point 21, Sergachev 19, Cirelli 20

Yes, Cirelli was a 4th liner, but he didn't get moved around the lineup once called up. Was given a role and stayed in that role - which included penalty killing and some limited 2nd unit PP time - but everyone has limited PP time behind Stamkos, Kucherov, Point, and Hedman - the only one which changed was the 5th guy - usually Killorn, though. Point actually wound up with more Avg Time on Ice than Stamkos.

Meanwhile, Thompson had started gelling when on the 2nd line with Stastny and Steen, then gets sent down to San Antonio to make room for who?? Still don't remember which non-producing 3rd/4th player that was. I think it was to move up Beau Bennett and still keep Sundqvist around. Gets recalled when Bennett inevitably didn't work out in spite of his "strong analytics", never plays with Statsny again, is stuck with the non-producing Berglund at C - which happened with every winger until they gave Berglund Steen and Brodziak. And didn't get a fair shot at any PP time until the season was almost over. WTH?? The guy was drafted specifically because of his power play scoring. And is the missing right-handed shot. but... Yeo is the brilliant hire who isn't questioned enough on his moronic coaching decisions by the St Louis "rah rah" media.

Yeah - we saw how effective Stastny could be when paired with right-handed shooters after he was traded.

[glen a richter]

The local media has so much more to do with things than a lot of people realize. I freely admit I don't spend much time listening to feeds of the St. Louis media but I know they're soft as hell on the players and coaches and that resonates negatively. When I turn on the radio for my drive into work and I hear Boomer and Gio bashing the Mets over every little thing, that's what St. Louis needs. The players and coaches need to know they're not meeting the expectations of the fans, otherwise they'll just keep going business as usual.