NHL 2017-2018 - All Out Discussion

[The Whovian]

The Flyers finally played their home opener last night and made it memorable for their fans with an 8-2 ass-whuppin' of Washington. Claude Giroux, Scott Laughton and Sean Couturier each lit the lamp twice while the defense kept Alex Ovechkin off the scoreboard. A great win!

I have to say, that's pretty darn impressive. As hot as Ovie has been, to keep him in check is job well done. That's half the battle to beating them. And Giroux is one of those players I like to watch. So darn good at creating his own shot.

Senators with a solid game again last night, back to back wins in Alberta and a 3 game sweep of their road trip.

Hawks with a nice come from behind win against the Predators.

It's always nice to win back to back games. The Sens are going to make the playoffs this year.

I was watching the Cubs game so I didn't get to see the Blackhawks game, but I saw the highlights and Saad is on fire this year. He already has 6 goals and is 5th in points (just 2 off the leader). He looks even better now than when he played with us before, which is quite amazing. That top line is flying. Now, we just need to get Schmaltz back in the lineup with Kane and Hartman on the 2nd line and we'll be good to go.

[The Whovian]

Oh, yeah. Forgot to post this as well. I know it's still VERY early in the season, but Crow doesn't get the credit he deserves. The reason we're winning Games right now is partly our offense, but also partly due to Crow playing out of his mind. He stopped 37 of 38 shots last night. We don't win that game if Crow wasn't playing. I tried to do a screen capture of this image four times with the whole screen showing, but for some reason, it keeps cropping the right side. Oh, well. You can see that he's leading all three of the most important categories:

[Arfguy]

Man, the Oilers got beat up bad by the Senators. This is a Senators team that is missing their superstar, Erik Karlsson.

This team is just not working hard enough. Connor McDavid refuses to shoot when he's open, opting to pass off trying to make his teammates better. While I am glad to see that when the team is not scoring, it is time for McDavid to be really selfish.

Chicago is doing really well. I am loving the return to form. This is a team that has been through a lot and I am glad to see them re-establish themselves as the elite team that they are. I am also happy to see the Senators doing well. I don't even care that they beat my team, because they were the better team.

Auston Matthews does it again. The Leafs were winless in 14 games against the Montreal Canadiens and then the superstar Matthews took control and scored not only 2 goals, but the overtime winner. The kid has a laser of a wrist shot.

LOL. I love the Washington Capitals because of Ovechkin, but man they got demolished last night.

[The Whovian]

Auston Matthews does it again. The Leafs were winless in 14 games against the Montreal Canadiens and then the superstar Matthews took control and scored not only 2 goals, but the overtime winner. The kid has a laser of a wrist shot.

The Leafs are going to be one of the best teams this year. They are for real. I watched in amazement when the Hawks played them and just couldn't believe what I was seeing. They have definitely taken the next step.

Hey Arf, I believe my Hawks play your Oilers this Friday. Should be a good game.

[Arfguy]

The Leafs are going to be one of the best teams this year. They are for real. I watched in amazement when the Hawks played them and just couldn't believe what I was seeing. They have definitely taken the next step.

Hey Arf, I believe my Hawks play your Oilers this Friday. Should be a good game.

LOL...from what I have seen so far, my feeling is it will be a good game to watch for one of us

However, I will need to watch. I want to see if this team can rebound from such monumentally horrible loses the last few games.

[GrifterWC]

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/2...layoffs-format

Interesting idea, but I don't think I'd want to see it in the NHL.

[Arfguy]

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/2...layoffs-format

Interesting idea, but I don't think I'd want to see it in the NHL.

I think the entire playoffs format should go: first team in the NHL goes against the 16th overall team in the NHL, based on points. Damn the conferences and divisions. The appeal? Imagine bitter enemies of the same conference, maybe even division, playing for the Stanley Cup.

You could have storied rivalries like Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens or the Battle of Alberta or the battle of California between LA and Anaheim. Each team plays majority of their games in their own conference, but for the Stanley Cup playoffs, it should go 1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15, 3. vs. 14, and on and on.

[The Whovian]

http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/2...layoffs-format

Interesting idea, but I don't think I'd want to see it in the NHL.

Absolutely NOT. That's a horrible idea

I think the entire playoffs format should go: first team in the NHL goes against the 16th overall team in the NHL, based on points. Damn the conferences and divisions. The appeal? Imagine bitter enemies of the same conference, maybe even division, playing for the Stanley Cup.

You could have storied rivalries like Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens or the Battle of Alberta or the battle of California between LA and Anaheim. Each team plays majority of their games in their own conference, but for the Stanley Cup playoffs, it should go 1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15, 3. vs. 14, and on and on.

I don't like messing with tradition. And I love the Eastern Conference Champion against the Western Conference Champion every year.

[Arfguy]

Absolutely NOT. That's a horrible idea



I don't like messing with tradition. And I love the Eastern Conference Champion against the Western Conference Champion every year.

I'm not really all that big a fan of breaking tradition. However, when it was sold to me by my friend as "Imagine watching Edmonton Oilers playing Calgary Flames for the Stanley Cup", I was sold. I know fans of Toronto would love nothing better than to see the Leafs beat the Canadiens for a Stanley Cup...or even a battle of Ontario with Ottawa facing Toronto for a Cup.

It would pretty crazy to have Pittsburgh take on Philadelphia for a Cup or the old Habs and Bruins rivalry that existed years ago. Some of those glorious rivalry will go, at most, to a conference finals, but not for the ultimate prize.

[GrifterWC]

I think the entire playoffs format should go: first team in the NHL goes against the 16th overall team in the NHL, based on points. Damn the conferences and divisions. The appeal? Imagine bitter enemies of the same conference, maybe even division, playing for the Stanley Cup.

You could have storied rivalries like Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens or the Battle of Alberta or the battle of California between LA and Anaheim. Each team plays majority of their games in their own conference, but for the Stanley Cup playoffs, it should go 1 vs. 16, 2 vs. 15, 3. vs. 14, and on and on.

That's what the format used to be way back when.
I think the problem is the amount of travel involved doing that.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

After the Flyers and Panthers skated to a scoreless first period, the Orange & Black erupt for four goals in the second. I'm shocked at how my squad has been a scoring machine in the early going.

[C_Miller]

The Leafs are going to be one of the best teams this year. They are for real. I watched in amazement when the Hawks played them and just couldn't believe what I was seeing. They have definitely taken the next step.

As a fan of Toronto sports, I'm very happy to see them be successful this early on. Although, I'd like to see the Jays get on the same page with them so I can have one contiguous year of quality sports in Toronto. Alas.

[Arfguy]

That's what the format used to be way back when.
I think the problem is the amount of travel involved doing that.

With the playoffs, they'd probably play the 2-3-2 system with breaks between games for those teams playing over long distances. That would be my guess. I remember when the Leafs played against Vancouver, because they were considered a team in the West back then, I think it went 2-3-2 for the 1994 playoffs.

Something to consider, I guess.

After the Flyers and Panthers skated to a scoreless first period, the Orange & Black erupt for four goals in the second. I'm shocked at how my squad has been a scoring machine in the early going.

How is your team looking so far, WPP? I haven't yet watched a game where they played.

As a fan of Toronto sports, I'm very happy to see them be successful this early on. Although, I'd like to see the Jays get on the same page with them so I can have one contiguous year of quality sports in Toronto. Alas.

That would be pretty sweet. I think the Leafs are the real deal this year. They added a couple of really nice pieces in Marleau and Hainsey.

How about that Nikita Kucherov, though? This guy is unbelievable.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

How is your team looking so far, WPP? I haven't yet watched a game where they played.

After last night's 5-1 butt-whuppin' of Florida, the Flyers are 4-2, good enough for fourth place in the Metropolitan behind Columbus, New Jersey and Pittsburgh. Oh, yeah, after two games on our current homestand, we've outscored Washington and the Panthers by a combined 13-2. Not bad for a team I thought would have trouble scoring consistently.

[Arfguy]

After last night's 5-1 butt-whuppin' of Florida, the Flyers are 4-2, good enough for fourth place in the Metropolitan behind Columbus, New Jersey and Pittsburgh. Oh, yeah, after two games on our current homestand, we've outscored Washington and the Panthers by a combined 13-2. Not bad for a team I thought would have trouble scoring consistently.

What have you liked or disliked in Nolan Patrick's game so far?