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NHL Regular Season 2017-18
- Thread starter MJ5150
- Start date
Don’t devalue the incredible pressure for a backup goalie to take his team to the cup championship. All the wins before aren’t as hard as the final four.
I’d have taken that trade in hindsight. Who taught Riley Nash to own the face off circle?
Almost every great goalie has had a great mentor. No different than any veteran players’ impact on a young player. Do any take anything away from the young player.
It’s not like a “who’s better” thing, they won those two cups together, no different than Sawchuk and Bower winning the cup for the leafs. It’s a team win regardless.
I thought the Leafs might actually pull a W out tonight.
As a Pens fan, I'm glad that WSH/CBJ is going to at least 6 games
I'm hoping the Pens can put PHI away tomorrow (I won't be able to watch sadly, hosting a family event). I don't know if extra days of rest are actually beneficial (I've read rather well thought arguments both ways), but it'll hopefully pay off for them. I think Pens can beat Caps, but not sure on Jackets.
I agree.
I just happen to think Fleury is the better goalie, and the Pens got all caught up in the hype of Murray too.
Only time will tell if I am off base with my Murray opinion.
-Mike
At this point, I agree, Fleury is better. But to have an excellent, well priced goalie is a great thing in the cap era.
And Murray is much younger, and can give you more years than Fleury can. So to go from one to the other, and have solid goaltending for 2 decades is a blessing. I said it earlier this year in this thread, Murray will be fine, he’s an a-list goalie and will be for years... IMO, obviously.
I thought the Leafs might actually pull a W out tonight.
As a Pens fan, I'm glad that WSH/CBJ is going to at least 6 games
I think the extra days off are detrimental to whichever team won last, as the Leafs showed tonight. So a team coming off a big win wants to get right back on the ice when they have the momentum in their favour.
Also shown with the mandated break every team has during the season now, with the current CBA, it always seems the team coming back from the break, loses their first game back.
Of course, in the playoffs, they aren’t all taking off for a week in the Bahamas, lol
I agree Fleury was a great goalie, teammate and mentor and is missed.
But the decision to keep Murray over Fleury was a no brained and even Fleury recognized that.
You have to admit what Murray has done in his short playoff career is remarkable. So far, in the big games he has showed a lot of poise and had made the big save. He has allowed a total of 2 goals in 5 of his last 6 games. Remarkable especially considered the Pens are not known to be a string defensive team, especially this year.
That said, it’s great to see how Fluery is playing this year. However if both teams get to the Cup, I think the Pens will blow them out.
Can anybody say the words 'dead horse'? Until these two (Murray & Fleury) meet in the Finals, this whole discussion is moot. Fleury's time in the 'burgh has ended, he's flourishing in Vegas, and the Pens banked on the 22 yr old Murray to move forward with. Yeah, it would have been nice to keep 'em both but it really was a no-brainer. I don't think Gretzky leaving Edmonton sparked this much debate! LOL
Besides, Freddie in Toronto is the best goalie in the league! (According to some here, anyway.
)
Besides, Freddie in Toronto is the best goalie in the league! (According to some here, anyway.
)
Norris Trophy candidates...are you kidding me? This year's finalists are based solely on past reputation. Doughty and Subban had subpar years, and Hedman has been overrated from the day he entered the league, IMO. The next Nicklas Lidstrom? Ha!
Where is John Carlson? He had a better year than any of those three by far. I might even put Gostisbehere in the mix. (And y'all know how I feel about Caps and Flyers players.
) But the truth is, none of those guys nominated deserve the Norris this year. Doughty got screwed in the past so maybe the board is trying to make up for that, but c'mon!
Where is John Carlson? He had a better year than any of those three by far. I might even put Gostisbehere in the mix. (And y'all know how I feel about Caps and Flyers players.
) But the truth is, none of those guys nominated deserve the Norris this year. Doughty got screwed in the past so maybe the board is trying to make up for that, but c'mon!
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Some times even when you play the better game, you still lose. But after barfing up the first two, you can't afford to let one you should win slip away. Leafs did look to be the better team last night, controlled territorial play, but the two 2 on 1s were their downfall. Not over yet, Nazim will ride in on his white horse and save the day!
Yes, the Bruins took advantage of their opportunities while Toronto was mostly shut down by Rask, which is a welcome sight for Boston fans. This is playoff hockey. A couple of timely saves and scoring on just a couple quality opportunities tends to be the difference between winning and losing.
The year the Bruins took the Cup (2011), they won a TON of games just this way, with Tim Thomas having a once-in-a-lifetime playoff run, and the Bruins just plugging and being opportunistic.
Not saying this B's team is going all the way (I don't think they will), but to win in the playoffs, you don't need to dominate play all night. You just need to come up big in clutch situations. Anderson did it to get the 4-2 win, and last night Rask did it. That's just the way it goes this time of year.
The year the Bruins took the Cup (2011), they won a TON of games just this way, with Tim Thomas having a once-in-a-lifetime playoff run, and the Bruins just plugging and being opportunistic.
Not saying this B's team is going all the way (I don't think they will), but to win in the playoffs, you don't need to dominate play all night. You just need to come up big in clutch situations. Anderson did it to get the 4-2 win, and last night Rask did it. That's just the way it goes this time of year.
After hearing Bergeron was out last night, I wasnt terribly opimisitc. After watching the first period, I wasnt terribly opimisitc. After the B's went up 2-1, I wasnt terribly optimisitc. I finally took a breath when they went up 3-1, albiet apprehensive. It doesnt sound like its a concussion, more of a shoulderish thing. Although it must be severe to keep Bergeron out, given that hes played playoff series with a punctured lung. Hopefully itll heal enough for sat back in boston. Huuuuge props to Nash last night. Still dont get why him or khudobin didnt get the 7th player award, supid pink hats. Kadri is back sat, hopefully so is bergie. As long as the bruins keep the backcheck up, throw some timely hits and actually find a way to set up consistent offensive pressure, well see. They cant spend that much time in their own zone.
The right move for the Pens was to trade Murray, at his peak of value, then let Fleury bring along DeSmith or Jarry just like he did Murray.
Rutherford is a big shot GM, and expansion draft trades have happened, so it would have been possible.
-Mike
Respectfully, think you have that bass-ackwards. Murray is younger, cheaper, very talented, and a better (business wise) investment. Think how Montreal kept Dryden and traded Vachon back in the day.
DeSmith and Jarry are NOT the potential talents Murray are.
I know we’ve had this discussion all season, and I am sticking to my opinion. Murray was the best financial option as GLG said, $3.75 million for two more years. That’s a steal. And after that he’ll only be 25 and most likely better, they’ll pay for him then.
But this season, for example, they only have $270k in cap space, who would they have had to get rid of to free up that $2mill to keep Fleury? Probably someone like Sheehan or Sheary.
If they kept Fleury, they’d either have had to trade him next year or re-sign him, he’ll be looking for a minimum 5 year contract, and he’s already 33, and trade either Desmith or Jarry. And no team wants to trade young goalie depth to keep a guy who’s looking at the back end of his career.
Unfortunately, it was a business decision, and the right one.
Right now Murray is sitting at a .948 and 1.27 GAA in the playoffs, not sure what else you could ask of him?
But this season, for example, they only have $270k in cap space, who would they have had to get rid of to free up that $2mill to keep Fleury? Probably someone like Sheehan or Sheary.
If they kept Fleury, they’d either have had to trade him next year or re-sign him, he’ll be looking for a minimum 5 year contract, and he’s already 33, and trade either Desmith or Jarry. And no team wants to trade young goalie depth to keep a guy who’s looking at the back end of his career.
Unfortunately, it was a business decision, and the right one.
Right now Murray is sitting at a .948 and 1.27 GAA in the playoffs, not sure what else you could ask of him?
Neither Fleury or Murray are a Carey Price, and look at the albatros of a deal he cost Montreal. Not sure how they will get out from under that one. Pittsburgh made the only rational decision they could, they have a great young goalie, who has two rings....so far. Think Rutherford did the best anyone could hope for.
