NHL Season 2021-22

[matti777]

...My conspiratorial guess is that more players are passing on going than the league wants us to know, and they don't want a team full of third liners representing our countries.

Yeah nobody wants to risk getting sick in China (or worse) and having to go into a 4 week quarantine. That would be hell.

 

[GonePlaid]

Yeah nobody wants to risk getting sick in China (or worse) and having to go into a 4 week quarantine. That would be hell.

But just think. They could try 'experimental ' "cures" on you.

 

[Fishheadjoe]

The IOC has debunked the whole 2-4 weeks in China if tested positive rumour... not the case at all is what they say. Not wanting to get political, I'll leave that right there.
Talking heads have been wondering who the Canadian team leaders were going to "draft" for the games for curiosity sake, but we will likely not know for some time.
A lot of lamenting about lost opportunity for the likes of Crosby and other longer in the tooth players who's window of opportunity to play in the Olympics is closing. So many wanted to see Crosby play with McDavid and MacKinnon on a line, not to mention other intriguing match ups.
There is talk of the NHL having another World Cup or similar.....
Fishheadjoe

 

[dwm74]

Usually I look forward to the Winter Classic but for whatever reason I just couldn't really get into it very much. Especially after the opening ceremonies that were so uncoordinated and disjointed, it made the league look amateurish. From the botched ceremonial puck drop to the introductions of the guests of honor that the cameraman didn't know who was who, it was just cringe-worthy.

I stuck around for the first 10 minutes or so, and the game was fine, but I just wasn't as interested as normal. Maybe the post-holiday blues (no pun intended).

 

[PaulS]

Encouraging weekend for the Devils, beat the Oilers and the Caps. Oilers game was crazy, not a lot of defense!

 

[Plake]

Usually I look forward to the Winter Classic but for whatever reason I just couldn't really get into it very much. Especially after the opening ceremonies that were so uncoordinated and disjointed, it made the league look amateurish. From the botched ceremonial puck drop to the introductions of the guests of honor that the cameraman didn't know who was who, it was just cringe-worthy.

I stuck around for the first 10 minutes or so, and the game was fine, but I just wasn't as interested as normal. Maybe the post-holiday blues (no pun intended).

Felt the same way. My first though when I saw the rink was 'they couldn't even paint the plywood on the outer boards?' TNT is having a rough go.

 

[PaulS]

Felt the same way. My first though when I saw the rink was 'they couldn't even paint the plywood on the outer boards?' TNT is having a rough go.

lol the plywood thing was the first thing we noticed too. I wonder if it was too cold for the paint to stick?

 

[MJ5150]

Usually I look forward to the Winter Classic but for whatever reason I just couldn't really get into it very much. Especially after the opening ceremonies that were so uncoordinated and disjointed, it made the league look amateurish. From the botched ceremonial puck drop to the introductions of the guests of honor that the cameraman didn't know who was who, it was just cringe-worthy.

I stuck around for the first 10 minutes or so, and the game was fine, but I just wasn't as interested as normal. Maybe the post-holiday blues (no pun intended).

So uncoordinated that I didn't even know they were playing a Winter Classic this year.

-Mike

 

[PaulS]

@MJ5150 yeah I think with games now being split between, ESPN, ESPN+ and TBS, plus your home network, it's really confusing as to where the games are. The Devils are no one's idea of a marquee team right now, but they've had 5 games exclusive to ESPN+ already

 

[dwm74]

Yeah, the TV situation is a joke. After checking NHL Network, the ESPN channels, ABC, etc, and coming up empty, I finally had to go online to find out the Winter Classic was being telecast on TNT. Some marquee event, eh?

 

[MJ5150]

Word on the street has Malkin returning to the Pens soon. I'm not so excited about it as maybe I was in the past. The Pens are cruising along just fine now without him.

-Mike

 

[matti777]

My Oilers are in a world of hurt. I see the same problems that they have had forever....very few of them seem to be able to beat an NHL goaltender with a shot, no toughness, sketchy goaltending (it always looks bad when the team is playing badly), etc.

 

[Atonalmodal]

My Oilers are in a world of hurt. I see the same problems that they have had forever....very few of them seem to be able to beat an NHL goaltender with a shot, no toughness, sketchy goaltending (it always looks bad when the team is playing badly), etc.

They still have the same issues that were apparent over the past several years, average goaltending, average defense, little, if any, secondary scoring and a lack of grit. The hot start to the season and potent powerplay offered visions of grandeur for the year that have now pretty much faded.
Players and coaches can adapt quickly, other teams know that if they can stay out of the penalty box and keep McDavid from running amok,
the Oilers are an easier team to beat.

 

[matti777]

They still have the same issues that were apparent over the past several years, average goaltending, average defense, little, if any, secondary scoring and a lack of grit. The hot start to the season and potent powerplay offered visions of grandeur for the year that have now pretty much faded.
Players and coaches can adapt quickly, other teams know that if they can stay out of the penalty box and keep McDavid from running amok,
the Oilers are an easier team to beat.

Somebody told them they were a 'skilled team' back in the Hall days and ever since then they figured they didn't have to play hard to win. They just played from the outside and the other teams were happy to let them do that. It seems to be in their DNA now.

 

[dwm74]

Very rewarding to see the Pens come back after falling behind 2-0 and 3-1. Hopefully young d-man Mikkola learned that you don't pi$$ off 87...as Sid came back after getting stitches and was definitely fired up, igniting the team to respond with four unanswered goals. Extended their winning streak to 9.

 

[Corigan]

Pretty stoked the Predators moved into first in the Central. Forsberg is on fire! Saros is doing great in net. We shouldn't have won against Vegas the other night, but Saros made it happen.

Im loving Tanner Jeannot. I love how hard he plays. Gotta keep your head up and on a swivel when he is out there

 

[hbarcat]

Very rewarding to see the Pens come back after falling behind 2-0 and 3-1. Hopefully young d-man Mikkola learned that you don't pi$$ off 87...as Sid came back after getting stitches and was definitely fired up, igniting the team to respond with four unanswered goals. Extended their winning streak to 9.

The Blues fell apart, mentally. After Crosby's goal (when Binnington lost his stick and the challenge failed), they lost focus and immediately let in the go ahead goal on the subsequent Pens PP.

Two more dumb penalties followed and the Blues were stuck in their own end the final 6 minutes of the game.

 

[MJ5150]

There's nothing like a good old fashioned Flyers beatdown to bring me some joy to a mostly lousy week.
10 in a row for the Pens.

-Mike

 

[Jeff K]

There's nothing like a good old fashioned Flyers beatdown to bring me some joy to a mostly lousy week.
10 in a row for the Pens.

-Mike

And my lousy week continues. Flyers are a mess. They should have hired Bruce Boudreau when he was available.

Not that I missed anything (other than higher blood pressure), but I couldn't even watch the game. Wasn't available on NHL Center Ice. Just Hulu & ESPN+. But I like to record the games and watch them later so I can zip through commercials and breaks between periods.

If this (not being available on NHL Center Ice) becomes habitual, I'm gonna' cancel the package.

 

[dwm74]

Yeah , the Flyers were missing a bunch of guys in COVID protocol and injuries, but it still feels good to get a W in Philly. (I think it was two years in a row the Pens lead the league in man-games lost to injury and we got no sympathy then either. )

Didn't know about that Center Ice issue...glad I cancelled before last year's shortened season and didn't renew for this season. The NHL really messed up by signing that big deal with ESPN, IMO. The lack of games on non-streaming networks is disgusting. Hope you're happy, Bettman. I'm usually in the guy's corner but on this one I'm not.