NHL 2021-22 season Fantasy & Chat thread

[hotcross]

C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues

That is going to be a fantastic 1st round match up .

I took Minnesota futures right after the trade deadline, to win the West and the Cup. Not sure if they really will accomplish either, but I liked the trade moves and felt the futures had good value at that time (current odds suggest that was correct).

I think Wild can make it to the Conference final. Do not see them losing in the first round this year. The difficult part is St.Louis has been awesome against them head-to-head. Also the Wild have no playoff pedigree. But they are playing much more exciting style of game than in years past. And they have some big boys for the playoff style.

Anyway just wanted to give my opinion on this series.

[yisman]

looks like vegas gonna miss

[Checkerboard]

looks like vegas gonna miss

Dallas clenches winning a tight shootout game with the lone penalty shot goal. Tough loss for the Knights.

[mr. leisure]

Kings clinch berth, to play Oilers in first round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

Los Angeles in postseason for first time since 2017-18; series will start in Edmonton

[Otters27]

Kings clinch berth, to play Oilers in first round of Stanley Cup Playoffs

Los Angeles in postseason for first time since 2017-18; series will start in Edmonton

Forgot they won those two cups

[hotcross]

Dallas clenches winning a tight shootout game with the lone penalty shot goal. Tough loss for the Knights.

Actually Dallas has not yet clinched, but with a 4 point lead over Vegas in the standings, Dallas just needs 1 point in their final 2 games (even an overtime loss will do). They have Arizona at home tonight (Wed).

[yisman]

Auston Matthews' transcendent season reached one of its highest peaks yet Tuesday night. The Toronto Maple Leafs star scored his 60th goal of the year against the Detroit Red Wings, making him the first U.S.-born player and only the third active NHL player in the 60-goal club.
The goal made Matthews Toronto's first 60-goal player as no NHL player has scored 60-plus since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12.

[mr. leisure]

Dallas is in and Vegas is out .

[Checkerboard]

[FONT="]Auston Matthews' transcendent season reached one of its highest peaks yet Tuesday night. The Toronto Maple Leafs star scored his 60th goal of the year against the Detroit Red Wings, making him the first U.S.-born player and only the third active NHL player in the 60-goal club. [/FONT]
[FONT="]The goal made Matthews Toronto's first 60-goal player as no NHL player has scored 60-plus since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12. [/FONT]

Austin Matthews 60 goals!!!

[hotcross]

Dallas is in and Vegas is out

It was indeed an overtime loss by Dallas to get the one point they needed. Funny thing is, if the first round matchup is Avalanche vs Stars, the Stars have a good record head-to-head. And most people will not even question Avalanche to win that series.

[mr. leisure]

Maple Leafs resting stars despite having small say in Round 1



With home-ice advantage already locked up, the Maple Leafs will roll with a rare seven-defenceman lineup and spread minutes around with its depth forwards Friday, calling up Marlies forward Joey Anderson as a placeholder.
If the visiting Bruins can defeat the Leafs and the Islanders beat the Lightning in any fashion, or if the Bruins earn a point in Toronto and the Isles take care of business in any fashion, we’re staring at another Bruins-Leafs tilt in Round 1.
Otherwise, the Leafs will draw Tampa and wild-card Boston will cross over to face the Metropolitan Division–winning Carolina Hurricanes.
Juicy stuff for an otherwise meaningless game. (Especially when you consider the Islanders may be inspired to exact some small revenge on the club that ended their 2021 playoff run in dramatic style.)




“Because we played Tampa twice recently and because there was a higher probability of playing them, we focused on that. And yet, we have this game of Boston here, so we've been looking at them as well,” Keefe said.
“You playing to win and coaching to win tonight, while being mindful of players’ minutes.”
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, winner of four straight, won’t speak to his lineup until 4:30 p.m. ET but indicated he, too, will rest some of his top-line players for the post-season.
“I fully suspect Boston is going to be a shell of themselves tonight here as well — and they could still move in the standings,” Keefe said.
“From my understanding of it, Tampa is really tight to the cap and doesn't have much of flexibility to move their lineup around.”
Wayne Simmonds doesn’t have much time for these reindeer games, however.
“Two really good teams,” Simmonds said. “But the focus, I think, should be on ourselves.”

Heck of a reward for the greatest regular season in franchise history: Do you want to face the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs? Or the franchise that left you gutted following Game 7 in three of your past six trips to the dance?
“We’ve put ourselves in a good spot. No matter who it's gonna end up being, Boston or Tampa, it’s a significant challenge. Both teams are playing extremely well,” Keefe said.
“That we’re in Game 82 and there's nothing really separating them in the standings shows just how good they are. The fact that we didn't clinch home ice until Game 81, despite setting franchise records and having a terrific season, shows just how tight the division is.
“So, we're ready for a battle — no matter who it is.”

[mr. leisure]

TB / Tor 1st round matchup should be fantastic .

[hotcross]

It was indeed an overtime loss by Dallas to get the one point they needed. Funny thing is, if the first round matchup is Avalanche vs Stars, the Stars have a good record head-to-head. And most people will not even question Avalanche to win that series.

instead, Nashville gets Colorado, while Dallas gets Calgary

Nashville might be sneaky here, they have a playoff style roster also. Thing really compromising their chances is the current injury to goalie Saros, simply cannot win this series without him. I'll assume he will give it a go, but may not be effective. As with most injuries, us on the outside are left to guess about the seriousness of the injury (or more often injuries not disclosed at all, until maybe after the post-season).

[yisman]

seattle and winnipeg sunday

meaningless game

[mr. leisure]

Blashill won't return as coach of Red Wings next season

Was second longest-tenured in NHL; Detroit failed to make playoffs each of past six seasons


Jeff Blashill will not return as coach of the Detroit Red Wings next season, the team announced Saturday.

The Red Wings failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in six of the 48-year-old's seven seasons with them. He was the second longest-tenured coach in the NHL behind Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning (10 seasons).
Blashill was 204-261-72, ranking sixth in Red Wings history in wins and fifth in games coached (537). He was named coach June 9, 2015, replacing Mike Babcock, who left for the same position with the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 20, 2015. In his first season, Detroit qualified for the playoffs and lost to Tampa Bay in five games in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Red Wings have not qualified or finished higher than fifth in their division since then.
They were 32-40-10 this season and finished sixth in the Atlantic Division, 26 points out of a playoff spot.
Detroit ranked 25th in the NHL in goals per game (2.77), 31st in goals-against per game (3.78), 26th on the power play (16.3 percent) and last on the penalty kill (73.8 percent).
"The arc of the organization is headed in the right direction, there's no doubt about that," Blashill said after a season-ending 5-3 win against the New Jersey Devils on Friday. "I think there's positives to be looked at from the year. I think there were times this year where our team showed really, really great and extraordinary-type sacrifice. There were times this year, when we played our best hockey, that we were as good as anybody and we beat a number of good teams.
"We stayed in the playoff race longer than we have in the last couple of years."
Assistant coach Doug Houda and goaltending coach Jeff Salajko also will not return next season.

[Checkerboard]

Leafs Lightning will be gritty.

[hotcross]

As for Washington vs Florida, they have never met in the playoffs, but keep in mind these teams played 3 games early this season, each was decided by one goal with the home team winning:

11-04-21 FLA 5-4 overtime
11-26-21 WSH 4-3
11-30-21 FLA 5-4

[Checkerboard]

Average weight of Tampa players 10 pounds more than average weight of Leaf players.

[mr. leisure]

Leafs Lightning will be gritty.

Should be a great series , cant wait

[jrgum3]

With all that's going I almost forgot about playoff hockey. I'll be sure to tune in when I can and of course bet some games now that NHL starts for real. There's nothing like playoff hockey.

[Otters27]

Blues come out firing

[mr. leisure]

Blues come out firing

Really surprising how they manhandled Minny .

[Otters27]

Uncharictarist a 1-0 win in the great west of Calgary

[Checkerboard]

Uncharictarist a 1-0 win in the great west of Calgary

I like Calgary's chances this year.

[hotcross]

Blues come out firing

Might not win another game

[mr. leisure]

Tampa with a nice rebound tonight .

[Checkerboard]

Tampa with a nice rebound tonight .

Leafs never recovered from that very late first period Tampa goal.

[mr. leisure]

Rangers tie up their series.

[yisman]

If three-time Stanley Cup winner Joel Quenneville is looking to return to coaching next season, he hasn't told NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman of that plan.
And Bettman would certainly be in the loop on that news.
Quenneville resigned as Florida's coach in October when specifics of how the Chicago Blackhawks mishandled allegations that a player was sexually abused by an assistant coach there in 2010 during the team's run to the Stanley Cup that season. Quenneville was Chicago's head coach when the abuse occurred.

[Checkerboard]

Might not win another game

Wild short dog tonight.

[mr. leisure]

I like Calgary's chances this year.

Defensive battle in that series .

[yisman]

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  Boston Bruins
  NHL|4th Eastern|51-26-5
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

A celebrating TD Garden crowd quickly went silent Friday night after an injury to an off-ice official.
Fans were banging on the glass after a goal by David Pastrnak gave the Boston Bruins a 3-1 lead against the Carolina Hurricanes with a little more than five minutes left in the second period of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.


That dislodged a large piece of glass, which fell onto the official in the penalty box.
The medical staff was called to the penalty box. The glass was removed from the area and the official was eventually wheeled off the ice on a stretcher.

[Checkerboard]

If Leafs do stop Tampa's bid to 3peat, they will ride a nice shot of confidence into a second round.

[yisman]

The Pittsburgh Penguins announced Friday afternoon that goaltender Casey DeSmith will be out for the remainder of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
There is still no update on when Tristan Jarry, the Penguins starting goaltender, may return to the lineup.

[mr. leisure]

Here it is