NHL 2017-2018

[Smitty-48]

Patrik Laine scores another, now tied with Ovechkin for the league lead in goals with 40.

[Fife]

Oh my, cousin.

[Fife]

[Smitty-48]

Andreas Johnsson making his NHL debut for the Leafs tonight, former 7th round pick, 202nd overall, now second in goals, fourth in points in the AHL, getting called up for the first time.

[Fife]

Preds fans love the Swiss, good luck tonight rook.

I'm pulling for the Leafs to come out of the East, myself. YMMV.

[Smitty-48]

Meh, the Leafs are not ready to come out of the East, they've got more drafting and developing to do before they are perennial contender, they just need to stick to the process, try to beat Boston, go as deep as they can, but they're not going very far this year, turning the puck over and giving up shots against like they do. Still a team of kids really, they've got some growing up to do yet, mind you, two seasons ago they were tanking to be the worst team in the league, now they have made their way back into the top ten, so the process is paying off.

[Fife]

Who, then? Tampa-freaking-Bay?

[Smitty-48]

Who, then? Tampa-freaking-Bay?

Tampa is certainly loaded up, Boston is definitely in the running, but I wouldn't write the Pens off, so long as they get Murray back.

Malkin is having an MVP season, Crosby has another gear to go to, Kessel is on a tear, and Letang is back, so it really comes down to the goalie.

Pens-Preds part deux wouldn't be surprising at all.

That being said, the Hockey Gods work in mysterious ways, the favourites going into the playoffs often get upset by dark horses, so could be Vegas-Washington, or Winnipeg-Philly you never know who is going to get hot in the Second Season, nothing that happens in the regular season actually matters much, once you get to May.

It's not going to be the Leafs tho, they might upset Boston, they might give Tampa a run for their money, but the Leafs high risk tendencies will catch up to them at some point, if they managed to make the Conference Finals, whoever the other team was would expose the Leafs exponential over reliance on Andersen methinks.

I'm not actually expecting them to get past Boston, altho they should give them a good series, ultimately falling just short, same as last year, because they haven't really progressed much from last year, still a young team which can't manage the puck under pressure, as I said, they've got some growing up to do yet.

The Leafs have three superstars in the making, but they haven't yet become those superstars, they're only scratching the surface of their potential right now, but will probably take another big NHL off season or two, before they are physically and mentally hardened enough to go all the way.

[Zlaxer]

Attention in the thread: FUCKING JET CANNUCKS FUCKS!!!!


THat is all - carry on.

[Zlaxer]

Nobody else watching? Where's Capps?