2020 Playoffs

[KapG]

Great to see keefe stacking a line there down in the third. We all know what that twit babcock would have done.

[Shoalzie]

The playoff field is thinned out fast but the final round robin games this weekend are intriguing. Both #1 seed matchups are today.

I can't decide if I'd rather face Chicago or Arizona in the West. Might not be a reward to be #1 if you have to face veteran-savvy team like Chicago. Arizona won't be an easy out either with Kuemper back to form.

In the East, I wouldn't want to be the #4 seed and have to face Carolina. #1 gets Montreal and the #2 seed gets the Columbus/Toronto winner on Sunday. Price played well against the Penguins but I'd still rather take my chances with the Montreal in the (real) 1st round.

Considering only one of the qualifying rounds went 5 games, the round robin teams and most of the qualifiers have played either 3 or 4 games leading up to the 1st round. The round robin concept wasn't super exciting but they at least gave those top 4 teams some good warm up games during the qualifying round.

[Tony]

Go Vegas (I guess)

[Shoalzie]

Fun game between the Knights and Avs...glad it was decided in OT and not the shootout.

Hedman injury or not, the Flyers look really good right now. That was a team that was on the rise before the season was interrupted but they might be even better now.

[Matthew]

Andreas Johnsson gwg

[Matthew]

3/8 chance edm/tor/pitt get lafreniere...gross.

[Loki]

I feel like there's a lesson here in playing best of 5 series after 4 months off in a sport where bad shooting luck and hot goalies can commonly decide games

[Tony]

3/8 chance edm/tor/pitt get lafreniere...gross.

Just like BBKL, the league is broken...

[Shoalzie]

I think there's some broken teams in the NHL with a lot of talent but can't win when it counts and it's not easy to find key missing pieces in a cap era.

The lottery for #1 will be a wild event. They're doing that actual ball draw on the air. They need to show their cards to everyone just keep the tin foil hat crowd quiet although there's always going to be someone bitching that their team didn't win or the "it's rigged!" crowd.


My takes on the field:

Penguins -- Lead by aging veterans who have won in the past but could use some more young legs.

Oilers -- Lead by two superstars who did produce in their qualifying series; could use secondary scoring but really needs another defenseman as well and I don't know what they do with goaltending.

Predators -- A lot of money tied up in their center position; definitely need another scoring winger to go with Forsberg.

Panthers -- Their forward group could look at lot different this summer with some contracts coming off the books; Lafreniere would be a sensible fit here but it's a bad hockey market.

Rangers -- A lot of exciting talent up front and they seem to have some promising youth in goal; another young scorer up front could frightening. A team on the rise for sure.

Jets -- Perhaps move Wheeler to center permanently and they could end up with a killer top 6; but obviously their defense is in shambles. What could you get if you traded that pick?

Wild -- A mildly intriguing team that was better than I thought they'd be. Fiala is an intriguing young scorer but there's some old legs all over that roster; Lafreniere would be a definite fit.

Maple Leafs -- By the time Lafreniere's ELC would expire (summer of 2023), there's only two years left on Tavares and Marner and one year left on Matthews, Nylander and Muzzin. It might actually work cap-wise but they better have figured out how to win by then.

[Da_Hawks]

Plenty of undeserving teams to get Lafreniere, and then the Leafs. Only really one team deserves another superstar talent. Just look at the LW depth on Toronto - it's horrible. We need him the most. It's pretty obvious. (sarcasm).

[Chuck Norris]

Nah if you get #1 you draft Drysdale. Worst D in the league. Dont touch Lafreniere.

[Da_Hawks]

Nah if you get #1 you draft Drysdale. Worst D in the league. Dont touch Lafreniere.

Drysdale is not what we need. You take Laf, and laugh your way to another 1st round exit. Or maybe convert him to D. That could work.

[dave1959]

Did the Leafs lose again?

[Da_Hawks]

Did the Leafs lose again?

Shouldn't the question be, have the Leafs won yet?

[Matthew]

Sorry, boys. It's gonna be a Barkov - Laf duo in Florida.

[KapG]

Nah if you get #1 you draft Drysdale. Worst D in the league. Dont touch Lafreniere.

Lmao

No.

You draft Laf and trade one of Marner or nylander

[MSP4LYFE]

I think Nylander has to be moved regardless because the team just isn't good enough and you cannot tangibly change the roster construction with so much money allocated on 4 forwards.

[MSP4LYFE]

Off topic, but I hope all of you are doing well and keeping safe during this pandemic.

[Handsome&FairMike]

I think Nylander has to be moved regardless because the team just isn't good enough and you cannot tangibly change the roster construction with so much money allocated on 4 forwards.

Agreed. Either get a D man, but preferably a 1st rounder plus back.

[MSP4LYFE]

It has to be for a defenceman so as to better balance the roster. You don't trade a 23 year old top line winger for a draft pick, especially when you are trying to contend for a cup. If it were up to me I would target a Jonas Brodin or Brett Pesce type defensive D plus a kicker.