NHL 2017 -Official Discussion Thread

[Smitty-48]

Nashville is a better team than Montreal.

Who will none the less miss next year, Patrik Laine will take their slot from them, while over in the Atlantic, Carey Price and Shea Weber will be in, although, they'll probably lose to Tampa Bay, who hopefully will run Boston over instead of my Leafs.

Lots of other playoff teams in the West who could miss next year, have no idea why you think Nashville is most likely to be bumped, other than Stanley Cup hangover, I see no reason to think they won't be back.

Pekka Rinne wheels coming off, Stanley Cup hangover, big pieces coming off serious injuries which will take a whole year at least to completely come back from, PK cancer will spread, no James Neal, and they just got hot at the right time this year, classic overachievers, not perrenial contenders, other teams that missed this year will be better while Flashville will come back to earth, Dallas loaded up with a goalie, Patrik Laine blowin shit up, Jonathan Quick will be back...

[StCapps]

Who will none the less miss next year, Patrik Laine will take their slot from them, while over in the Atlantic, Carey Price and Shea Weber will be in, although, they'll probably lose to Tampa Bay, who hopefully will run Boston over instead of my Leafs.

Lots of other playoff teams in the West who could miss next year, have no idea why you think Nashville is most likely to be bumped, other than Stanley Cup hangover, I see no reason to think they won't be back.

Pekka Rinne wheels coming off, Stanley Cup hangover, big pieces coming off serious injuries which will take a whole year at least to completely come back from, PK cancer will spread, and they just got hot at the right time this year, classic overachievers, not perrenial contenders, other teams that missed this year will be better while Flashville will come back to earth, Dallas loaded up with a goalie, Patrik Laine blowin shit up, Jonathan Quick will be back...

Meh, The Kings don't impress me anymore, too old, too slow, not enough depth or skill. Winnipeg might need more time to simmer, Dallas maybe, but they have defensive issues on top of the goalie issues. It's possible sure, but it's also possible other playoff teams in the West could slip too and several of those teams are worse than Nashville. The Preds are good man, they aren't just overachievers, they still might not be able to avoid the hangover, but you are sleeping on Nashville regardless.

[Smitty-48]

Kopitar will bounce back, Doughty will bounce back, Quick will be back, might not be enough for another Cup, but they have enough to bounce a hungover, injuried offseason, aging out Rinne, no James Neal Flashville out of their slot, with Winnipeg and Dallas coming too.

[StCapps]

Kopitar will bounce back, Doughty will bounce back, Quick will be back, might not be enough for another Cup, but they have enough to bounce a hungover, injuried offseason, aging out Rinne, no James Neal Flashville out of their slot, with Winnipeg and Dallas coming too.

I have no doubt all their big guns will be back, I'm just not sure that's enough for the Kings to make the playoffs anymore, the rest of the team around them isn't so hot anymore, and like I said, most competetive division in hockey, hell there 6 teams with a shot to realistically make the playoffs in that division next year, everyone except the Avs.

[Smitty-48]

They were only four wins behind Flashville, with no Quick all season, and Kopitar having a carreer worst season, Kopitar and Quick bounce back equals +4 wins at least, hangover, no James Neal, Ryan Johansen and Kevin Fiala coming off worst case injuries equals -4 wins at least.

[StCapps]

They were only four wins behind Flashville, with no Quick all season, and Kopitar having a carreer worst season, Kopitar and Quick bounce back equals +4 wins at least, hangover, no James Neal, Ryan Johansen and Kevin Fiala coming off worst case injuries equals -4 wins at least.

Incorrect, because Nashville went 30-15-2 down the stretch and are not the slumping team they were at the start of the year. The Preds are a lot closer to 30-15-2 team than they are to the squad who started the year or played in the playoffs. Even with a hangover the chance of starting as bad as they had this year, is remote. That's why doing the math like that doesn't really mean anything. The rest of the team around the Kings centerpieces are going to older and slower than they were this year, which was old and slow as it is. Nashville or LA might win more or less games next year, and it might or might not be enough to make the playoffs.
/shrugs

[Smitty-48]

LA lost their franchise goalie for the whole season, and their Auston Matthews had an off season, Quick and Kopitar bounce back, ding dong the Sutter is gone, John Stevens honeymoon; buh-bye Flashville.

[StCapps]

LA lost their franchise goalie for the whole season, and their Auston Matthews had an off season, Quick and Kopitar bounce back, ding dong the Sutter is gone, John Stevens honeymoon; buh-bye Flashville.

Have to see it before I believe it, it's possible, it is the Central Division. I think Nashville will be back and I think the Blues are the most likely team to not make the playoffs from the Central this year, who made it last year. I'd be surprised if every team who made the playoffs in the Central this year were back next year, it could be the Preds who fall out, it could be some other team, that's the Central for you.

[Smitty-48]

Nah, the Blues will be better as well, ding dong the Hitch is gone, lets have fun for a change. The Hitch on the other hand, will crack down on too much fun Dallas, and it will all even out, with Dallas, LA, and Patrik Laine in, hungover Flashville falling back to earth.

[StCapps]

Cale Makar, come on down. Woop woop. Now we just got to move Duchene, come on Sakic, get off your ass and make a move.

Also love the new Avs jerseys, fuck off Reebok.