The better team definitely won for sure. The prevented going into the history books as one of the biggest collapses in modern history.

McDavid won't win a cup in my mind till he becomes a more complete player. Obviously he is elite, best player in the world on the offensive side. I think he started to realize that this year and in my mind played his best defensive hockey of his career although that isn't saying much. In this day and age your stars need to do both. Crosby was one of the best at it but even he had to learn that and didn't do it right away. The Avs didn't make their big jump in the playoffs until after a couple years of MacKinnon practicing in the offseason with Crosby and I think his focus on being accountable for defense started after that with the best years still not being till the last 3-4 years. If you don't play a 200ft game today it puts too much stress on other parts of the team. It doesn't mean McDavid needs to be elite defensively but he has to be accountable and not cost back when the play is going the other way which he and even Dri did for years.

 

Ovechkin minus being an asshole?

 

Man that cluster fuck of players when the Florida goalie lost his stick was intense. I really thought it was going to go into OT.

Congrats Flo-Rida

 

That call was a joke, clearly they were trying to help EDM even up the score smh

 

Great game 7 and great series, but the better team clearly won. FLA went back to the way they played in the first 3 games and clearly dominated. Wasn't surprised that they gave McJesus the Conn Smythe as a consolation prize, just too bad he was a sore loser and didn't come out to accept it

 

Yeah, every recent Cup winner had this. Per your examples -- 10000%. Yzerman was the first to realize it. Then those hated Wings continued it with Zetterberg and Datysuk. Pens with both Sid and Geno playing stronger defensively. Kings with Kopitar. Hawks already had that in Toews but strengthened that with Hossa and Sharp (Kane was never going to be a defensive-minded player but he was well-covered by everyone else pretty much). Then, you have the Avs as you noted with Nate, Gabe, et al. Vegas with Stone. Blues when they won with O'Reilly being a defensive force. Bruins had gee, I wonder who...oh, that guy, Bergeron.

I dunno, Oilers are just not built right. And then, with all that $$$ dumped on Nurse and Campbell, not sure how they can keep that core properly intact.

 

Totally agree they're not constructed/built right to play 2 way hockey. Also, how about Draisaitl with no goals in the SCF For as invisible as McJesus was for 4 out of 7 games, Dry Saddle was invisible the entire series

 

Guys, Conn Smythe Trophy goes to best player in the playoffs. McDavid was a force this postseason (4th most points overall) and broke a Gretzky record in assists which is crazy.

Having said that The Stanley Cup went swimming in Las Olas after getting hammered at the Elbo Room The Athletic thinks Florida can repeat too

 

Florida has a LOT of contract hell and UFA's to deal with... They will not be the same team next year

 

What is really interesting here for the Panthers is something I just noted from your post and looking at that roster: This is how you build a team NOT through the draft.

Seriously.


Moog-Type-S would roll in his e-grave if he saw this.

 

Yeah, what is messed is Edmonton does not have a shut-down center. During the Pens' powerhouse years, who jumped over? Jordan Staal against the best line? And if his line had to, they'd score a timely goal or two.

But, I don't think Pens were too worried if Sid was against the top line either because he figured it out.

 

So, awards night next and then draft?

Free agency also coming up.

 

This is such a great list of examples as well. It has honestly become a pretty proven formula for the last 25 years of the NHL. Sure it isn't always what works out but the teams that manage the longest terms of success do exactly this. Damn, I miss watching Hossa play. Such a good player. Forsberg was another one from that era too and a reason why I feel Nichuskin was such a big loss the last two years for the Avs with his huge defensive presence. Like I said a while back he was starting to be called Hossa-lite on our boards.

The Oilers are not built right yet but I think they might be able to save it. The first thing they really need to do is pay a high draft pick to get rid of Nurse. I don't care if it takes a first to dump him on a salary cap floor team. His is 4-5mil top D man and that extra 4mil not to be used elsewhere is killing them from upgrades they need to win.

 

And big big thing: All of these squads had a true Norris-type patrolling their blueline. With a 'Robin' type as partner or on the 2nd pairing.

Oilers have Ekholm as that 'Robin' but if you're telling me Bouchard is that Norris-type, I won't stop laughing and point to a picture of Berard.

 

I think Oilers should look to trade Draisaitl -- yes, insane -- and get an elite blueliner type.

I dunno, what will it take to get Dahlin or Power from Sabres?

 

Nurse is not going anywhere. Who is going to eat that near $10M cap hit?

Nobody pays $10M for a #4 D-man.

 

Oh shit, it doesn't matter. They are just plain screwed. Nurse has a NMC until June 1, 2027

There are plenty of bottom feeder teams that you could offer a 1st and maybe a future second that don't see themselves competing for 4-5 years that could eat that contract and still build with the way the cap is going up. That said no one has to think about it for at least 2 more season

 

That is definitely the type of move they need to make but at the same time I think they need a shutdown 2C to go along with the defenseman like that.

 

You sayin' my Hawks would be stupid enough to take Nurse for a #1 and futures?

 

Depends on what those futures are and the years of the picks. If it was an option right now and you could grab extra 1st, 2nd, or top prospects that would be able to be ready in 4-5 years I would think it would be a smart move honestly. You definitely don't build through the draft as much vs trade in my mind anymore. But if you want to sustain success you have to draft wheel as you need cheap contracts so I wouldn't say no to it directly if I am them. Doesn't matter though since 2 years from now the Hawks should be much closer to playing solid hockey if they handle the next 2 years correctly.

I hate to say it but in 2 years one of the teams that should look at eating that contract is the Penguins if the haul for doing so is enough.

 

Like...we ALL watched the games. Aside from stat-padding his points, when was Bouchard really noticeable? Did he ever have an OMG-holy-shit skate out or defensive play on say Barkov/Tkachuk/Tarasenko etc. that made you go, yeah, that's shutdown.

I mean, I sure didn't. Oilers have no one like that really. Ekholm is their best defender and deservedly so but he's no Hedman, Letang, Makar, Lidstrom, Keith, Pietrangelo...He's on par probably with Florida's Forsling/Ekblad/Ekman-Larsson...which is why Panthers won: They have 2 'Robin' types to cover the no-Norris-type at #1.

 

I mean he is good but he isn't elite in my mind. I don't know if I would even put him on Forslings level. I have new found respect for the caliber of D that guy plays after this playoffs. He might be the best pure shutdown D man in the game right now. Back to Bouchard though I put him more likely in the range of like 8-12 ranking of #1 D in the league.

 

I think Leon should be traded, he's clearly shown that he's not a big time producer being invisible in the final. He clearly is overrated and not the long term #2 center

 

Forsling, Panarin...

Thank you, Blackhawks.

 

 

I was never a fan of Evan Rodriguez, but looking at the talent he's played with he's been a linemate of Eichel, Crosby, Malkin, and McKinnon to name a few, and can't deny the impact he had with FLA and the line he was on. Crazy that he'll be the first person named Evan on the cup

 

What? Not Evan Bouchard?

 

GM of Oilers

 

Speaking of which, Holland is out as GM of Oilers. Maybe Deano-This-and-Deano-That will save Edmonton. He's the greatest GM of all time. All time!

 

Odd getting within 1 win of the cup & getting fired.

 

Sam Reinhart is reportedly re-signing for 8 years.

 

No, his contract was over and he never wanted to re-up.

 

For alot of dough. Looks like Florida wants to stay in the hockey news too...

Still not sure why Bolts are letting their captain walk. They are taking that money to signing Jake Guentzel for $9M per. Stamkos is UFA and hearing he's going to...Nashville?

 

Rangers are trying to dump Truba fwiw.

Semes he is being a dick about it.

 

This is my surprised face....

 

Hawks are signing Teuvo Teravainen, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Alec Martinez.

 

Preds ink Stamkos but I don't get the $$$ they threw at Skjei. I know he's a decent player but $7M per?!??

 

It's insane money for Stamkos for sure, TB gave Jake Guentzel so it speaks volumes

 

I liked Brady when we had him, FOR 3mil

Am I insane or did Pittsburgh pick our pocket?
Also, how is an old slow non scorer going to help a team needing speed & scoring?????

Rangers make it official: RW Reilly Smith acquired from the Penguins in exchange for a conditional fifth-round pick in 2025 and a second-rounder in 2027.

Pittsburgh is retaining 25 percent salary, which means Smith will be on the books for one year at $3.75 million.

2025 pick will be worse of Rangers and Minnesota's, which was acquired by the Blueshirts in the Ryan Reaves deal.

 

Jake and Kucherov together may be quite the lethal combo.