The Stanley Cup Playoffs 2023: First Round GDT

[Eleven]

8 minutes ago, PerreaultForever said:

Bruins fans are spoiled, but they turn on the team quickly. Two years ago it was fire Sweeney. This year it was all praise Sweeney. All season long it was praise for Ullmark. Now he's the whipping boy. They're all going crazy right now as I suppose figures after the way the season went. They can still pull this out, but the worry and panic is definitely in the air. 

Who among us would be upset if the Bruins have a goaltender controversy going into a Game 7?

(This is not argumentative...just an observation.)

[Claude Balls]

19 minutes ago, Claude Balls said:

Oops, not sure how to rotate this on my phone.

Just came across this. This was from tonight's game. Apparently they are their homemade playoff jackets. You can find anything on the interwebs.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRwRacQA/

Edited April 29, 2023 by Claude Balls

[K-9]

Why are posts about the Amerks playoffs being intermingled with posts about the NHL playoffs?

[Claude Balls]

53 minutes ago, K-9 said:

Why are posts about the Amerks playoffs being intermingled with posts about the NHL playoffs?

Because no one made an Amerks GDT for Friday's game. 🤷‍♂️ I tried to see if there was one to post in, but I had zero reception in the Arena. I figured one would've been started, as there was one for game 2. I couldn't get any service until I got out of the parking garage. 

Edited April 29, 2023 by Claude Balls

[Kristian]

“Tough to see that for the Boston Bruins…”

No…. No. Not tough at all..

[Night Train]

Leafs have a streak of losing 11 straight series clinching games. Can they break through ? 

[pastajoe]

9 minutes ago, Night Train said:

Leafs have a streak of losing 11 straight series clinching games. Can they break through ? 

We can only pray it continues.

[French Collection]

12 minutes ago, Night Train said:

Leafs have a streak of losing 11 straight series clinching games. Can they break through ? 

No, not on my watch. I want to see their fans lose their minds. Well, not all of them because we would have a serious problem with that many I’ll people all at once.

[JohnC]

13 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

If he was, he might be. Seeing what I've seen from Borgen over the last few months if he was still a Sabre I might have him playing with Power. We definitely would have had better depth in that injury period and we definitely wouldn't have had to go to Bryson at the bottom end. Jokiharju and Stillman would be fighting it out to be Lybushkin's partner. 

I'm sure some would disagree, but I see Borgen (now) as similar to Lybushkin, only more physical and slightly better. Really good team guy as well. So he'd not be the solution to the D problem (we could still use a better top 4 guy) but he would have made it better. 

All moot now anyway. Just off season talkin'. 

Watch Seattle though and tell me you don't find them entertaining. 

No thanks. I would have taken the chance after he quit on Torts (giving Torts the blame) but now he's quit in 2 places. I don't want that in this locker room. 

If you see Borgen in some ways being similar to Lyubushkin, you are basically categorizing him as a third pairing type of player. That's the point I am making. I would be happy adding that caliber of player to the mix. In fact, if we add two of those type of players to the unit it would be very beneficial. It would bulk up the unit and create much needed depth. 

[JohnC]

14 hours ago, K-9 said:

As one of his harshest critics, I can very much appreciate the comment on Mitts and as I’ve said, he’s managed to turn his game around. I’m more than glad to enjoy that dish of crow.

Unfortunately, unlike Mitts, Joki hasn’t managed to show that same level of improvement in his game. That’s not trashing Joki in the least; I’m just recognizing that he’s suited for a third pairing level. 

I'm not chortling over someone eating crow. I've been wrong as much as right in many of my opinions. My table is more than full of bad tasting black feathers, so that doesn't give me the right to comment on anyone else's culinary habits.

However, let me comment on Mitts's recent play. Yes, it was elevated, especially when he played on the top line. And that is the reason why his production significantly improved at the end of the season. The improvement was due to the fact that he had players who get themselves in a good position to score and convert his passes. The challenge for the coach next year is to assemble a line with players who can maximize his talents. I believe with Mitts, as a center or even a forward, the Sabres have enough talent to put together a 2B line. 

[dudacek]

On 4/27/2023 at 10:59 PM, PerreaultForever said:

Setting the stage for a complete tear down followed by rebuild I imagine.  

So do we want anyone from that roster???

What happened to this team?

Its not a stretch to say that 6 years ago they were where we seem to be now: young, deep and positioned for a long window of contention.

 

[Pimlach]

10 hours ago, Claude Balls said:

Was a great game. Even got to meet Brett Murray's mom. Very attractive and an extremely nice woman. Also walked out behind 5 or 6 of the players girlfriends. They all had white jackets on with their guys name and number on the back. All I can say is Davies girl is an absolute smoke show. Other girls hot too, of course. 

I always forget Peca and Weber are assts with the Amerks.

 

 

You see all these hot women and all you post is a sideways picture of the back of the bench.  
 

Come on Claude. 

[Eleven]

28 minutes ago, dudacek said:

What happened to this team?

Its not a stretch to say that 6 years ago they were where we seem to be now: young, deep and positioned for a long window of contention.

 

Well, it hired Rick Bowness, for one thing.  Check out his lifetime coaching record--it is a litany of sixth- and seventh-place finishes--and then try to explain to me why teams keep hiring him.

[K-9]

49 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm not chortling over someone eating crow. I've been wrong as much as right in many of my opinions. My table is more than full of bad tasting black feathers, so that doesn't give me the right to comment on anyone else's culinary habits.

However, let me comment on Mitts's recent play. Yes, it was elevated, especially when he played on the top line. And that is the reason why his production significantly improved at the end of the season. The improvement was due to the fact that he had players who get themselves in a good position to score and convert his passes. The challenge for the coach next year is to assemble a line with players who can maximize his talents. I believe with Mitts, as a center or even a forward, the Sabres have enough talent to put together a 2B line. 

The other important factor in his improvement, which was evident even before he joined the top line, was getting him as far away from VO as possible. 

[Pimlach]

10 hours ago, Claude Balls said:

Just came across this. This was from tonight's game. Apparently they are their homemade playoff jackets. You can find anything on the interwebs.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTRwRacQA/

A TikTok link.  No way am I touching that. 

[French Collection]

59 minutes ago, JohnC said:

The challenge for the coach next year is to assemble a line with players who can maximize his talents. I believe with Mitts, as a center or even a forward, the Sabres have enough talent to put together a 2B line. 

I think Mitts can work with Cozens and Quinn.

We know Mitts is strong on the wall, keeping possession in the O zone and setting up people for scoring chances.

Cozens can lead zone entries. His shot is improving so he can bury a lot of feeds. He is getting stronger and will win many battles.

Quinn can do a lot, shoot, dangle, pass, steal pucks and back check. He will get stronger and be a handful for Dmen.

This line could also have a C taking draws on their strong sides for any situation. Whoever is having a better night on draw could get more work.

JJP could become a key on L3 with Krebs and ???

[Brawndo]

 

Things are going well in Winnipeg 

 

[irregularly irregular]

4 hours ago, Night Train said:

Leafs have a streak of losing 11 straight series clinching games. Can they break through ? 

Yes, I think and sincerely hope that they do break through to 13 straight losses in series clinching games. 

[French Collection]

Hellebuyck went on to say that he enjoyed the 5 games of playoff hockey more than the entire regular season. He called it like a high that you have to chase.

I want the Sabres to experience that, soon.

[JohnC]

3 hours ago, French Collection said:

I think Mitts can work with Cozens and Quinn.

We know Mitts is strong on the wall, keeping possession in the O zone and setting up people for scoring chances.

Cozens can lead zone entries. His shot is improving so he can bury a lot of feeds. He is getting stronger and will win many battles.

Quinn can do a lot, shoot, dangle, pass, steal pucks and back check. He will get stronger and be a handful for Dmen.

This line could also have a C taking draws on their strong sides for any situation. Whoever is having a better night on draw could get more work.

JJP could become a key on L3 with Krebs and ???

The Sabres have accumulated enough talent where players are being properly slotted to their talent level. There is a number of line options that can be assembled among the group of Cozens, Quinn, JJ, Greenway, Mitts and maybe even Savoie. Right now, I'm not worried about what the best combinations will be next year because Don G has demonstrated a talent of making the pieces fit. And he has also shown an ability to mix up the lines and pairings within the game in order to change the dynamic when needed. What's become evident as the talent base increases, the options for the coach also increases. 

[JohnC]

4 hours ago, K-9 said:

The other important factor in his improvement, which was evident even before he joined the top line, was getting him as far away from VO as possible. 

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that I believe that there is a role for VO, maybe not in the long-run but for the short-term. There is no question that he faded to oblivion in the second half of the season. I'm not even sure what line he is most suitable for next year. But he still has a laser shot that when he is on, he is an asset. And maybe there is a role for him on the second PP unit? Undoubtedly, there are players in the pipeline who will replace him. But for the short-term I believe he still has some utility. I'm aware of the overwhelming majority of people disagree with me. That's okay. 

[French Collection]

17 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that I believe that there is a role for VO, maybe not in the long-run but for the short-term. There is no question that he faded to oblivion in the second half of the season. I'm not even sure what line he is most suitable for next year. But he still has a laser shot that when he is on, he is an asset. And maybe there is a role for him on the second PP unit? Undoubtedly, there are players in the pipeline who will replace him. But for the short-term I believe he still has some utility. I'm aware of the overwhelming majority of people disagree with me. That's okay. 

I think he could get some ice time on L3 with someone like Krebs and JJP but I feel he has more value in a trade.

Savoie, Kulich, Rousek and Greenway will push him for ice time plus whoever they may acquire. KO and Girgs may return as well.

VO could end up in a rotation like Quinn, JJP, Asplund and Hinostroza was in last year. He may prefer a trade where he is a regular.

If KA can turn VO+ into a top 4-5 Dman that is a win in my mind because of the F depth and lack of true 4-5 D.

[Taro T]

29 minutes ago, JohnC said:

I'm going to go against the grain here and say that I believe that there is a role for VO, maybe not in the long-run but for the short-term. There is no question that he faded to oblivion in the second half of the season. I'm not even sure what line he is most suitable for next year. But he still has a laser shot that when he is on, he is an asset. And maybe there is a role for him on the second PP unit? Undoubtedly, there are players in the pipeline who will replace him. But for the short-term I believe he still has some utility. I'm aware of the overwhelming majority of people disagree with me. That's okay. 

 

3 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I think he could get some ice time on L3 with someone like Krebs and JJP but I feel he has more value in a trade.

Savoie, Kulich, Rousek and Greenway will push him for ice time plus whoever they may acquire. KO and Girgs may return as well.

VO could end up in a rotation like Quinn, JJP, Asplund and Hinostroza was in last year. He may prefer a trade where he is a regular.

If KA can turn VO+ into a top 4-5 Dman that is a win in my mind because of the F depth and lack of true 4-5 D.

Yes, to the bolded.

With 1 year prior to becoming an UFA, his trade value will diminish to close to 0 within 1 year.  He has a very good shot and is reasonable as a passer.  There are many teams that have a need for a pure goal scorer.  With the additions of Jost and Greenway, and the potential additions of Savoie, Rousek/Kulich, &/or a 4C simply don't see Olofsson fitting into the top 12 when the team is reasonably healthy even if Okposo &/or Girgensons aren't back.

He HAS value, but expect his value is greater for a team that isn't top 3 in goal scoring leaguewide.  Really hope they trade him as he could (either on his own, or more likely in a package) bring back something they need and will have more value than the 30 or so games he'd play before he walks in FA.

[JohnC]

8 minutes ago, French Collection said:

I think he could get some ice time on L3 with someone like Krebs and JJP but I feel he has more value in a trade.

Savoie, Kulich, Rousek and Greenway will push him for ice time plus whoever they may acquire. KO and Girgs may return as well.

VO could end up in a rotation like Quinn, JJP, Asplund and Hinostroza was in last year. He may prefer a trade where he is a regular.

If KA can turn VO+ into a top 4-5 Dman that is a win in my mind because of the F depth and lack of true 4-5 D.

Needless to say, all options are open. I'm not leaning one way or the other. If he can be part of a deal for a 4/5 defenseman, I'm more than receptive. My main point about him is that he has a shooting skill that we and other teams can utilize. Will it be in Buffalo? I don't know. 

[PerreaultForever]

15 hours ago, Eleven said:

Who among us would be upset if the Bruins have a goaltender controversy going into a Game 7?

(This is not argumentative...just an observation.)

Bruins fans are hilarious right now. Totally losing their s##t. 

Bruins are my B team and I wanted them to win (still do) but this fan over -reaction is almost worth it. Very entertaining in a car crash watching sort of way. "Fire Montgomery" now after what was a season of "obvious coach of the year."