NHL: 2016-2017 Season

  • Thread starter JohnBM01
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Speaking of coaches, word has it that Lindy R. will be 86'ed as Dallas Stars coach. So Lindy will be looking for another gig.
 
The fact that Lindy couldn't reach at most a Cup Final with that stacked deck roster the Stars had is absolutely pathetic and mind-boggling, but I shouldn't say anything considering we've already fired one coach for playoff failures. :lol:

If there is a coach that should be fired this off-season, it's Maurice in Winnipeg. Too bad Cheveldayoff is a man who sticks with his men, even with a sinking ship.
 
The 2016-2017 regular season is now over. Here is one last look at the final standings:

! = playoff team
!! = home ice advantage

--- EASTERN CONFERENCE ---
ATLANTIC: Montréal! (47-26-9; 103 pts.), Ottawa! (44-28-10; 98 pts.), Boston! (44-31-7, 95 pts.), TOR! (40-27-15, 95 pts.), TB (42-30-10, 94 pts.), FLA (35-36-11, 81 pts.), DET (33-36-13, 79 pts.), BUF (33-38-12, 78 pts.)

METROPOLITAN: Washington!! (55-19-8, 118 pts.), Pittsburgh! (50-21-11, 111 pts.), Columbus! (50-24-8, 108 pts.), NYR! (48-28-6, 102 pts.), NYI (41-29-12, 94 pts.), PHI (39-33-10, 88 pts.), CAR (36-31-15, 87 pts.), NJ (28-40-14, 70 pts.)

--- WESTERN CONFERENCE ---
CENTRAL: Chicago!! (50-23-9, 109 pts.), Minnesota! (49-25-8, 106 pts.), St. Louis! (46-29-7, 99 pts.), NSH! (41-29-12, 94 pts.), WPG (40-35-7, 87 pts.), DAL (34-37-11, 79 pts.), COL (22-56-4, 48 pts.)

PACIFIC: Anaheim! (46-23-13, 105 pts.), Edmonton! (47-26-6, 103 pts.), San José! (46-29-7, 99 pts.), CGY! (45-33-4, 94 pts.), LA (39-35-8, 86 pts.), ARI (30-42-10, 70 pts.), VAN (30-43-9, 69 pts.)

Let me know if I screwed some of these stats.


Who will win the Stanley Cup this season? Here is a look at the playoff matches for Lord Stanley's beautiful cup:

--- EASTERN CONFERENCE ---
* MON Canadiens vs. NYR Rangers
* OTT Senators vs. BOS Bruins
* WAS Capitals vs. TOR Maple Leafs
* PIT Penguins vs. COL Blue Jackets

--- WESTERN CONFERENCE ---
* CHI Blackhawks vs. NSH Predators
* MIN Wild vs. STL Blues
* ANA Ducks vs. CGY Flames
* SJ Sharks vs. EDM Oilers

Get those brackets ready!


That's all for this post. Well... anyone want to share early predictions as to who will win the Stanley Cup, or at least who will advance from their playoff series? The playoffs action begins this Wednesday. So get psyched if you haven't already!


Congratulations to all whom advanced to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Better luck next season to those who missed out.
 
Vancouver fired Willie D.

It only means Benning and Linden get to keep their job for another year. The true massacre will come next offseason, especially considering most Canucks boards can see pretty easily through the move.
 
I reserved this specific post to discuss the Detroit Red Wings.

It is great the Detroit Red Wings were able to make the postseason for 25 successive seasons. The mark of any great season is to make the postseason, even if you just sneak in on the last day of the regular season. Detroit has done a great job making the postseason for all those seasons in succession. Unfortunately, 2016-2017 wasn't too kind to Hockeytown. It surely would have been cool for Detroit to maybe have a chance to close out the Joe Louis Arena with possibly another Stanley Cup triumph. That sadly didn't happen. On a positive note, at least this can motivate Detroit to open Little Caesar's Arena (which I still think should have been called Gordie Howe Arena or something) with a chance to start a new postseason streak and maybe win yet another Stanley Cup championship. Just get some better players, play harder, and maybe even have some better luck.

With all of that said, congratulations to the Detroit Red Wings on their amazing postseason streak before it being snapped from this rough season. I'm hoping for a bright future for Hockeytown. By the way- those pictures were amazing. I'd have the chills too if I were a Red Wings fan after this heartfelt farewell to playing at The Joe.


When I posted the playoff matches, they were accurate. So for example, the winner of the CHI vs. NSH match will get the winner of MIN vs. STL in the second round. No Canadian teams made the postseason last season. This time around, though, five Canadian teams are in the postseason, including both of the NHL's Original Six Canadian teams (Toronto and Montréal). Pittsburgh is the defending champions. The 2016-2017 Stanley Cup runners-up, San José is in this field hopefully trying to return to the Stanley Cup Finals. I certainly cheer on some of the teams in the playoffs in support of my good GTPlanet mates.


Almost anybody can win the Stanley Cup this season. I'm not sure even Pittsburgh could repeat. Any thoughts or predictions you would like to share on this upcoming postseason?
 
I hope the Wild make it all the way.
We need a good team other than the Lynx.
 
You can't win the Stanley Cup in April, but you could very well lose it. The sixteen best (or luckiest) teams will play for the chance to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup at postseason's end. The fun begins tonight. Are you ready for playoff hockey?


Good luck to all of this season's playoff teams. Enjoy tonight's action and all action in the playoffs.
 
Something to think about... We could not have had such an awesome farewell to the Joe if the Red Wings HAD made the playoffs. The date of the "last game at the Joe" could have been any number of nights. Say we made it to game six of the first round; would that be the last game at the Joe if we then lost game seven. We couldn't have coordinated that level of a sendoff without knowing the exact date, weeks in advance.

So, I for one, am a Red Wings fan who is ok with the fact that we missed the playoffs. We were able to honor the organization and Mr. I in a very special way because of it.

JohnBM01
I reserved this specific post to discuss the Detroit Red Wings.

It is great the Detroit Red Wings were able to make the postseason for 25 successive seasons. The mark of any great season is to make the postseason, even if you just sneak in on the last day of the regular season. Detroit has done a great job making the postseason for all those seasons in succession. Unfortunately, 2016-2017 wasn't too kind to Hockeytown. It surely would have been cool for Detroit to maybe have a chance to close out the Joe Louis Arena with possibly another Stanley Cup triumph. That sadly didn't happen. On a positive note, at least this can motivate Detroit to open Little Caesar's Arena (which I still think should have been called Gordie Howe Arena or something) with a chance to start a new postseason streak and maybe win yet another Stanley Cup championship. Just get some better players, play harder, and maybe even have some better luck.
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Motor City Hami
Something to think about... We could not have had such an awesome farewell to the Joe if the Red Wings HAD made the playoffs. The date of the "last game at the Joe" could have been any number of nights. Say we made it to game six of the first round; would that be the last game at the Joe if we then lost game seven. We couldn't have coordinated that level of a sendoff without knowing the exact date, weeks in advance.

So, I for one, am a Red Wings fan who is ok with the fact that we missed the playoffs. We were able to honor the organization and Mr. I in a very special way because of it.
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I'm more excited about the thought of the Red Wings actually getting a true good draft pick for once. :lol: Sure, Holland has been a wizard at finding stellar talent with less-than-optimal picks, but Detroit finally has a chance to get one of the best up and coming players in the game. Though I think we still need a defencemen because the D hasn't been that great at all for the past couple seasons.
 
An omission from my previous post is that the Dallas Stars will reportedly bring back a familiar face. Remember a guy named Ken Hitchcock? He's going to be the head coach of the Dallas Stars. Word has it he'll be announced as head coach tomorrow. He is a familiar face, because he did coach the Stars to a championship in 1999. So this guy knows what he's doing and is a solid coach. Perhaps this will help out the Stars in the 2017-2018 season in the brutally tough Central Division.
 
Well, I'm excited as anything, because the good guys start their shot at the Cup against the Blues tonight. We're up against ex head coach Mike Yeo. Sorry Mikey, willing to bet that it's not gonna be this season
 
Did you follow last night's playoff action? If not, here's a little rundown of what happened.


* NBCSN shown the New York Rangers at the Montréal Canadiens in their doubleheader last night. Montréal had an awesome pre-game deal. This series between two Original Six teams ended in favor of the New York Rangers 2-0.

* The other end of the NBCSN doubleheader shown the St. Louis Blues go up to St. Paul, Minnesota. The State of Hockey was wild alright. Unfortunately, the Minnesota Wild fell 2-1 to St. Louis in a game that needed Overtime to settle.

* It was also 2-1 in Canada's capital as the Ottawa Senators fell to the visiting Boston Bruins. The B's did good last night.

* Regulation solved nothing in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The other game that required Overtime saw the San José Sharks win 3-2.

* The Columbus Blue Jackets were hosted by the defending champions last night. The Pittsburgh Penguins won 3-1 against the boys from Columbus.


Tonight's action is as follows:

* TOR Maple Leafs at WAS Capitals
* NSH Predators at CHI Blackhawks
* CGY Flames at ANA Ducks


Enjoy tonight's action!
 
Gerard Gallant signed on to be the head coach of the Vegas Golden Knights. So Las Vegas NHL fans, get to know your first coach in franchise history.
 
Hmmmm.... those refs need some glasses. They've missed some blatant penalties by the Blues, and given some BS calls against the Wild. For real. Guess I'm not surprised because Mike "Gritz" Yeo is behind the bench, but they need to make those calls
 
PinkKitty13
Hmmmm.... those refs need some glasses. They've missed some blatant penalties by the Blues, and given some BS calls against the Wild. For real. Guess I'm not surprised because Mike "Gritz" Yeo is behind the bench, but they need to make those calls
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IMG_4778.JPG

:P
 
Of the playoff series so far, St. Louis and Pittsburgh lead their respective series 2-0. Most other series teams lead 1-0 or are tied at 1 with the games so far. St. Louis defeated Minnesota 2-1 in Minnesota, but this time in regulation. The STL/MIN series now goes through St. Louis. Pittsburgh won 4-1 last night. That COL/PIT series now goes to Columbus.

It isn't over for the series ahead 2-0. Just hope you can pull together if down and stay strong if ahead.


More games coming up today and tonight. So get ready for more playoff hockey!
 
It's been a pretty surprising first playoff week I have to say. Colombus, Chicago and Minnesota all on the verge of elimination this early is certainly not something I was expecting. Nor was I expecting Toronto and Edmonton to lead their respective series.
 
Yeah. It ain't looking good for Blue Jackets Nation or Wild Nation. The Blue Jackets could be eliminated tonight, and the Wild could be eliminated tomorrow night. Both respective teams need wins to make the season last at least one more day.

Tonight, we got Montréal at the New York Rangers (MON leads 2-1), and we also have the Edmonton Oilers at last season's Stanley Cup runners-up, the San José Sharks (EDM leads 2-1). So we got some Original Six playoff action in New York City and some action in the Shark Tank up in NorCal.


Enjoy tonight's action!
 
There's absolutely no reason a game where both teams are located in CST, should be starting at 8:30pm CST on a weeknight. The NHL is horrible at some of their times and scheduling. Also, why have a two day break in between games in the same location?
 
JohnBM01
An omission from my previous post is that the Dallas Stars will reportedly bring back a familiar face. Remember a guy named Ken Hitchcock? He's going to be the head coach of the Dallas Stars. Word has it he'll be announced as head coach tomorrow. He is a familiar face, because he did coach the Stars to a championship in 1999. So this guy knows what he's doing and is a solid coach. Perhaps this will help out the Stars in the 2017-2018 season in the brutally tough Central Division.
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A bit late to the 'Welcome Back Hitchcock' party, but I feel that I should throw this out there.

Lindy Ruff and Hitchcock were opposing coaches during the '99 Stanley Cup Finals. And while Hitchcock was more successful in bringing Dallas the Stanley Cup (he did it in '99 and returned to the Finals in a losing effort in 2000), I honestly feel that Hitchcock may not be a good fit given the fact that our GM just blew up the roster of veteran leadership, but I think that what we do in the entry draft may influence how we move forward and if Hitchcock has any success moving forward. I personally think that, given what has happened in Columbus, he has no chance, but I don't think that anyone else has one either.

As a bit of a sidebar, Dave Tippett may have a good chance to succeed Ruff, but he didn't have quality netminding his first go around here in Dallas.
 
http://deadspin.com/the-dynasty-that-ate-itself-1794385282

It was a year of mourning for the Red Wings. Their beloved owner, Mike Ilitch, died. So did Joe Louis Arena, the old barn on the Detroit River where the Wings dominated in the mid-to-late ‘90s and early aughts, winning four Stanley Cups, six Presidents’ Trophies, and making the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons. The Streak, as it was called in Detroit, was also buried this year. The pursuit of that Streak, at the expense of a long-term vision and with the results of sustained mediocrity, falls squarely on longtime general manager Ken Holland.


Making the playoffs for 25 years straight is objectively insane. I grew up in Michigan and I don’t remember what it was like when the Wings weren’t any good. The last time they missed the playoffs, in the spring of 1990, I was five years old. One of Detroit’s most promising young players—metro Detroit native Dylan Larkin—was born in July 1996, two months after the Claude Lemieux hit on Kris Draper that set off an era-defining brawl. Holland will always have the dynasty, but the Wings haven’t been truly relevant since 2009, when they lost their bid for a repeat in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals to the Pittsburgh Penguins. That was also the last time they made it past the second round of the playoffs. They’ve been functional afterthoughts since then, despite making the postseason every season until this one, because Holland would never admit that it was long past time to reset.

Not only are the Wings mired in mediocrity going into their new arena, they’re hamstrung for the next few years. The team’s future payroll is a graveyard of old guys on laughably bad contracts. Captain Henrik Zetterberg is under contract through 2021 (by which time he won’t be worth the $6,083,333 cap hit, but he’s still a good hockey player). Defenseman Niklas Kronwall, plagued by knee problems, is on the books through 2019. Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson: through 2020. Justin Abdelkader, whose seven-year $30 million contract was universally panned when he signed it in 2015, is under contract until 2023. Darren Helm, who scored eight goals in 50 games this year, will make $3.85 million a year until 2021. Danny DeKeyser will make $5 million annually through 2022. And 33-year-old Frans Nielsen carries a $5.25 million annual cap hit through 2022. Most NHL teams have a few bad contracts—the Wings could ice two lines’ worth.
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“Steve Yzerman will not come back,” the former employee continued. “Chris has full control. The rest of the family is either too screwed up or just completely uninvolved, and are basically just collecting their checks. So Chris is it for the family and I don’t think you can be in that position and not work directly with Chris because Chris is very hands-on. And Steve Yzerman won’t work for Chris Ilitch.”

It’s Ken Holland or bust, for now. Or maybe it’s both.
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Columbus' season is safe... for now. This season lasts one more day for Columbus after their 5-4 victory last night at home against Pittsburgh.

Question is- will the Minnesota Wild's season last at least one more day? One GTPlaneteer is hoping the Blues can put away the Wild, and about two different GTPlaneteers I know of are hoping the Wild can keep their season alive.


Four Playoff games tonight. Enjoy tonight's games.


[UPDATE] Edited a typo.
 
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Both Columbus and Minnesota averted elimination from their recent games. Calgary, however, failed to get out of a 3-0 series hole. So sing along, GTPlanet:

*** cue WipEout series ***
Calgary Flames = "CONTENDER ELIMINATED!"

So there are 15 remaining teams playing for Lord Stanley's Cup. Tonight's games:

* NYR Rangers at MON Canadiens - series tied 2-2
* COL Blue Jackets at PIT Penguins - PIT leads 3-1
* CHI Blackhawks at NSH Predators - NSH leads 3-0
* SJ Sharks at EDM Oilers - series tied 2-2

There's nothing like playoff hockey, right? So go enjoy some NHL hockey tonight if you'll be watching and following tonight's action.


[UPDATE] Nashville leads 3-0, not Chicago. Thanks @Sanji Himura for the clarification. Edits made.
 
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Whoever does the scheduling for NHL games needs to fired... into the sun!

Who on earth schedules a weekday game's start time for 9PM and a weekend game for 2PM. I understand wanting all the games to be on national TV, but the local markets really should come first when working out start times. So far I've only been able to watch 1 playoff game because of this and it's extremely aggravating considering it's my two favorite teams playing.
 

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