NHL: 2017-2018 Season

[JohnBM01]

The entire NHL is going to be completely dumbfounded if Vegas wins it all. Vegas almost seems like a de facto All-Star team with pretty good players rather than people they picked up off the street to assemble a team. I mean... you can't help but laugh or be impressed at what all the Vegas Golden Knights have accomplished. I think even Lord Stanley would be proud of just how amazing this team has been.

Good luck to your Golden Knights, and also to the other remaining Playoff teams.

 

[JohnBM01]

It is being reported that Marian Hossa will retire from hockey (let alone the NHL) after 19 seasons due to some progressive skin issue he has been having. I wish Hossa the best in his retirement.

Later today is the Vegas Golden Knights at the Winnipeg Jets.

 

[dylpro]

Vegas win or lose is one of the best hockey stories of all time. Win the Cup, one of the best sports stories of all time! It’s amazing to see what they’ve done this year.

It’ll be interesting to see the compared success of Seattle in a couple years. Everyone seems to love bashing the NHL for the expansion rules this go around, but that’s really a load of BS. People need to look at their GMs before expansion rules.

I think the Knights were so enveloped in the passion the fans had for their first major professional sports team and they rallied behind that. Can’t discount the culture! Even if it’s new culture! Let’s Go Knights!!

 

[JohnBM01]

Well, there you go. The Vegas Golden Knights become only the 6th ever team to make the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. They are the first to do so since the 1996 Florida Panthers. So they will meet the winner of the Tampa Bay vs. Washington series for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Half of the Stanley Cup Finals is now set.


[UPDATE] 2nd-ever expansion team to make the Final and 6th-ever among expansion teams, not 2nd. Changes made.

 

[Sanji Himura]

Well, there you go. The Vegas Golden Knights become only the 6th ever team to make the Stanley Cup Final in their inaugural season. They are the first to do so since the 1996 Florida Panthers. So they will meet the winner of the Tampa Bay vs. Washington series for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Half of the Stanley Cup Finals is now set.


[UPDATE] 2nd-ever expansion team to make the Final and 6th-ever among expansion teams, not 2nd. Changes made.

Wrong again. You were a lot closer the first time. There were three teams that made the cup final in their first seasons as expansion teams:

1918: Toronto Arenas - Won it all.
1968: St. Louis Blues - Lost to the Montreal Canadiens
2018: Vegas Golden Knights - Fate TBD.

 

[JohnBM01]

I had to edit that last post a number of times. Otherwise, thanks for setting me straight. Oh, and by the way... we got a Game 7 for Tampa Bay vs. Washington series after WAS won last night. Winner gets Vegas in the Stanley Cup Final.

 

[JohnBM01]

Vegas vs. Tampa Bay? Vegas vs. Washington? Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals is tonight. Somebody's going to play the Vegas Golden Knights for the Stanley Cup. Whomever takes this one depends on who wins in Southwestern Florida tonight.

Elsewhere... Word has it that former Boston University men's hockey coach David Quinn will be the new head coach of the New York Rangers. The Rangers missed out on the playoffs this season placing dead last (8th) in the Metropolitan Division with a record of 34-39-9 and 77 points. Maybe times will get better for the Rangers with this coaching hire.

 

[JohnBM01]

Tampa Bay has Lightning, but they got thunderstruck 4-0 by the Washington Capitals. So we have this as our Stanley Cup Final:

Vegas Golden Knights vs. Washington Capitals

Lord Stanley's Cup will go to either the surprise un-expansion team out West, or to our nation's capital. The first game of the Stanley Cup Finals will be this coming Monday in Las Vegas (I think). So tell it, GTPlanet- will the NHL champions and raising the Stanley Cup be the Vegas Golden Knights or the Washington Capitals, and (optional) in how many games?

 

[Sanji Himura]

Vegas in 6

 

[JohnBM01]

Tonight begins the Stanley Cup Finals for the 2017-2018 season. The only thing that separates Vegas or Washington from hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup is four wins. This is a best-of-7 to determine who will become champions. Pending a draw or some other unfortunate circumstances, one of these two teams will win their first-ever championship. The Vegas Golden Knights have been THE story of this season. Meanwhile, the Washington Capitals are trying to erase a history of futility in Washington, D.C. sports whereas they fail to win on major stages in sports. The 2017-2018 Capitals look to do what the 1997-1998 Washington Capitals couldn't do- win the Stanley Cup.

Thirty-one teams played, sixteen made the Playoffs, and we are now down to two competing to become Champions and hoist the Stanley Cup for the world to see. The Stanley Cup Finals begin in Las Vegas.


Good luck to both Vegas and Washington tonight and through the rest of the Stanley Cup Finals.

 

[JohnBM01]

HEADS UP!

The Stanley Cup Finals are on NBC right now. And as usual... the Golden Knights have a wicked cool introduction! These guys are fun to watch!

 

[dylpro]

Wrong again. You were a lot closer the first time. There were three teams that made the cup final in their first seasons as expansion teams:

1918: Toronto Arenas - Won it all.
1968: St. Louis Blues - Lost to the Montreal Canadiens
2018: Vegas Golden Knights - Fate TBD.

To be fair, 1918 predates the Original Six era and 67-68 was essentially gauranteed an expansion team would make the finals where the Blues were sent to slaughter.

In the modern day NHL this feat is astounding. I don’t care what anyone has to say about the expansion rules. IMO, Seattle fans are going to be in for a rude awakening if they think this is what awaits their first year.

And agreed, Vegas in six.

 

[JohnBM01]

You know, I am also thinking Vegas in six. Washington has NEVER won a Stanley Cup Finals game. When the 1997-1998 team played in the Stanley Cup Final, they got swept by the Detroit Red Wings. WAS has yet to figure out the Golden Knights. If this keeps up, Vegas will win themselves a Stanley Cup.

I did not see all of Game 1, but I learned the NHL will not discipline WAS' Tom Wilson for a late hit. It was deemed shoulder-to-shoulder contact despite looking like a total cheap shot on Mr. Marchessault.

Something else I heard was that in the 2020(?) NHL Draft, the same rules will apply for the Seattle franchise as with the Vegas Golden Knights. If Vegas wins the Stanley Cup, you might imagine Seattle may try to pull the same strategies Vegas did in basically taking solid talent (as opposed to inexperienced or off-the-street talent) and building up the roster.


Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Final is on Wednesday in Las Vegas.

 

[JohnBM01]

Face it- you don't have anything real special to do this Saturday night. So what CAN you do? Watch hockey, of course! Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals is tonight in Washington, D.C. We got a 1-1 series after VGK won the first game followed by WAS winning the second game. So we are assured a Game 5. The Capitals finally figured out how to defeat the Golden Knights. Now it's time to see how this series goes as it goes into our nation's capital.


Enjoy tonight's action!

 

[JohnBM01]

Has Midnight struck on Las Vegas? The Vegas Golden Knights are down 2-1 in this Stanley Cup Finals as Game 4 is tonight in Washington, D.C. It's been back to back losses for VGK. A loss tonight at the Washington Capitals will REALLY put pressure on Vegas to try to bounce back if VGK goes into a 3-1 hole after tonight. A Vegas win will ensure a Game 6.


Enjoy tonight's action!

 

[JohnBM01]

The most improbable sports story in recent memory... could all be over if Vegas is defeated one last time. Tonight is Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals. If the Washington Capitals can go into Las Vegas and take down the Golden Knights one last time, then the Washington Capitals will win Lord Stanley's beautiful cup, and the season would be over. Or Vegas can win Game 5 to make the season last one more day. What will happen? We'll find out!


Good luck to both Washington and Vegas.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

I've been a Capitals fan since 2007. It's been a long and tough 11 years, but name what a night. Got a little teary when Ovi lifted the Cup.

 

[JohnBM01]

The Vegas Golden Knights have had an incredible inaugural season. However, that magical run ran out as the Washington Capitals finally won their first ever Stanley Cup. You still can't help but laugh or give a standing ovation for the Vegas Golden Knights. This was supposed to be an "expansion team." They played anything but "expansion team" the way they somehow found ways to win. You be the judge as to whether you think the season was a failure that they didn't win in their first season after such a strong run.

So the Washington Capitals won the VGK-WAS Stanley Cup Finals series in five games. A lot of us were thinking Vegas in 6. All congratulations go out to the Capitals on a stellar season. And really, I'm proud for Washington, especially Alex Ovechkin.


That ends another season of NHL hockey. If you care to look back at this season, feel free to do so. After all, all 31 teams played their best to try to prove themselves. Many made the playoffs while others had to settle for another season. One can only imagine what the 2018-2019 season will hold. We will all have to wait until about September before we can see teams hit the ice again for another run towards the Stanley Cup.