NHL 2015-16 Season Thread

Obsidian_sl said:

So I've been super busy with work and have really not followed the season at all. Big caps fan, they seem to have run away with the President's trophy. Yet, as mentioned, none of the advanced metrics seem to be picking them as anywhere near cup favorites. Are they paper tigers like the last time they won the President's? DC is such a terrible sports town and the caps just get my hopes up every year only to choke their season away, should I maintain my low expectations or what?

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Their possession numbers actually look extremely good most likely over their last 10-15 games. But again, a lot of those models are based on results of the last ~25 games or so, which the Caps have had nothing to play for over the majority of that span and have seen a predictable dip in their record. Then you have games like last night where the Blues have everything to play for and we basically ran them out of their own building...leaving them with Chicago in the 1st round. I kind of feel bad for the Blues, although eventually they're going to have to get over the hump you'd think.

Merrith_sl said:

Is it really that bad though?

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The sample size is still too small to say I guess, but so far I don't particularly prefer it. Aside from the lopsided divisions, Rangers have the same freaking (potential [lolphilly]) matchup three years in a row. For all Pittsburghs hard work being number 2 in the east? They get the number 4 team three points behind? Just doesn't seem right I guess.

Grimmlokk_sl said:

Of course if he can't play Matt Murray is the second coming of Jesus, so we'll be fine there. That kid is a fucking monster.

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Son of a motherfucking bitch...

Grimmlokk_sl said:

Son of a motherfucking bitch...

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Seriously, what's with your team and concussions? Any word on Fleury?

Merrith_sl said:

Seriously, what's with your team and concussions?

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Mostly assholes keep targeting their heads is what's up. Though that didn't really appear to be the case with Murray. And really it looked like more of a precautionary pull then a "OH NOES HE'S MUSHBRAINED!" pull.

No official word on Fleury.

Grimmlokk_sl said:

Mostly assholes keep targeting their heads is what's up. Though that didn't really appear to be the case with Murray. And really it looked like more of a precautionary pull then a "OH NOES HE'S MUSHBRAINED!" pull.

No official word on Fleury.

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Yeah that play at least on Murray seemed more like incidental than anything intentional, still took a pretty good blow.

Wed/Sat/Tues first three games for Pens/NYR.... Sweet schedule!






...NOT!

Merrith_sl said:

Ovechkin joins Bossy and Gretzky as the only guys to score 50+ goals in a season 7+ times.

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Just imagine how many of those would be 60+ in the exciting era=/ Instead just 1 is. Does anyone think he wouldn't have broken 70 at least once with the game played open like it should be? It bums me out. He could/should break the top 5 if the team keeps him supported like they have the last few years. But he'd be a serious threat to Howe and maybe even Gretzky without being stuck in this age of hockey.


Also,What's Wrong with Sidney Crosby?Even you haters will at least enjoy the hilarious first minute.

Tarrant_sl said:

Well that didn't work out for you, now did it?

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No. It didn't. However, I'll enjoy Detroit being eliminated in the first round by Washington who then goes on to melt down in round two.

Grimmlokk_sl said:

Also,What's Wrong with Sidney Crosby?Even you haters will at least enjoy the hilarious first minute.

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Incoming injury confirmed

StoiCynic_sl said:

Incoming injury confirmed

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Well yeah, they're playing the Rangers. Who will they assign to crosschecking him repeatedly in the head this year?

2x the Staals, 2x the crosschecks!!

Lundqvist not feeling well, left practice after 15 minutes today...

Grimmlokk_sl said:

Just imagine how many of those would be 60+ in the exciting era=/ Instead just 1 is. Does anyone think he wouldn't have broken 70 at least once with the game played open like it should be? It bums me out. He could/should break the top 5 if the team keeps him supported like they have the last few years. But he'd be a serious threat to Howe and maybe even Gretzky without being stuck in this age of hockey.


Also,What's Wrong with Sidney Crosby?Even you haters will at least enjoy the hilarious first minute.

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I think Stamkos would be a threat to hit 60+ (or would have been a couple of years ago), and guys like Sid, Benn, and Tarasenko would be threats for 50 goals a lot more as well if they were all playing in that era. I just think the fact he's done it 7 times in this era is roughly on par with what Gretzky and Bossy did back then.

As far as being the threat to Howe/Gretzky, I really think it depends how long he stays over here in the NHL. We know he's durable as fuck, and he's adjusted his game to not be looking to hit guys AS much as he did when he was younger, so I could see him staying relatively healthy going forward for awhile. All the old models about needing to stay productive for another 10-13 years assumed he would have already dropped off to a 30-40 goals a year guy by age 30 too, and he still potted 50. I think as long as he plays another 8 years in the NHL, he's a serious threat to Howe. Gretzky I don't know about. You're talking another 90+ goals past Howe, and it wouldn't come until at best he's scoring 30 a year. The only chance he has at that is if he plays as long as Jagr has without leaving the NHL for a couple years like Jagr did.

We'll see, I think he hits 600 easily, and 700 I would say as likely at this point. Beyond that is just too tough to predict.

The Sid thing was funny, remember hearing it when Ovechkin had a couple down years. Guys go through slumps, it happens. It's also pretty obvious they made the right move at coach too.

McDonagh likely out at least Wednesday.

StoiCynic_sl said:

Lundqvist not feeling well, left practice after 15 minutes today...

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Good. His binky probably got dirty and he threw a hissy fit. Baby stuff.

600 for Ovie should be a cakewalk. 3 seasons max barring something catastrophic. If he plays like this for another 2 years I'd say the same thing about 700 at that time. There's very little chance he cracks the top 5, unless he is draining the life force from Czech supermodels like Jagr as mentioned, but he's a very real threat to the top 10 and Mario/Messier/Yzerman. Which is amazing in this era. Mario cancer badback left wing lock etc etc, but yeah it's crazy to do it as consistently as Ovie has now. And to think, he could be in the middle of 9 straight full seasons(minus lockout year) if not for Bruce Boudreau deciding to take him out of his game for a couple seasons.

Grimmlokk_sl said:

Good. His binky probably got dirty and he threw a hissy fit. Baby stuff.

600 for Ovie should be a cakewalk. 3 seasons max barring something catastrophic. If he plays like this for another 2 years I'd say the same thing about 700 at that time. There's very little chance he cracks the top 5, unless he is draining the life force from Czech supermodels like Jagr as mentioned, but he's a very real threat to the top 10 and Mario/Messier/Yzerman. Which is amazing in this era. Mario cancer badback left wing lock etc etc, but yeah it's crazy to do it as consistently as Ovie has now. And to think, he could be in the middle of 9 straight full seasons(minus lockout year) if not for Bruce Boudreau deciding to take him out of his game for a couple seasons.

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I'm basically in agreement with you. I think 600 happens after two more years. He's at 525 already. 75 in the next two is averaging below 40 a year. But after that, he's got to fall off at some point, it's going to happen. If he plays 8 more years, I think he almost certainly hits 700. If he even averages 25 goals a year for the next 8 years, he's at 725 and 7 away from passing Dionne for 5th all time. I think somewhere in the range of 5th-10th is a solid potential finishing point. Outside chance at threatening Howe if he Jagr's it up (plays something ridiculous like 12+ more seasons).

Also, the top of the West is stacked, but man the bottom of their playoff bracket is shit. Wild lose 5 straight and get in by 5 points?

Merrith_sl said:

McDonagh likely out at least Wednesday.

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Unless he plays injured (highly possible unfortunately) I don't expect him back for Pittsburgh. He was on the bench after the last game celebrating, pretending to hold a jersey but really just poorly hiding a cast on his hand. Yesterday he was practicing non contact with a righty stick (left handed).

If Malkin gets healthy we are fucked pretty much.

StoiCynic_sl said:

Unless he plays injured (highly possible unfortunately) I don't expect him back for Pittsburgh. He was on the bench after the last game celebrating, pretending to hold a jersey but really just poorly hiding a cast on his hand. Yesterday he was practicing non contact with a righty stick (left handed).

If Malkin gets healthy we are fucked pretty much.

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If Malkin is back and anywhere near 100% I don't see any way the Rags pull it off unless Lundqvist goes full on Halak mode.