NHL 2011-12 Season Discussion Thread (1 Viewer)

[Ockeghem]

Scott,
I thought the Bruins might have been one of the two teams as they had three seven-game series en route to their Cup last year, but then I remembered that they had the short series (4-0) against the Flyers.
This Cup will be a tough one for me to call. I think I'm leaning toward the Kings at this point, regardless of whom they end up playing in the Final.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Scott,
I thought the Bruins might have been one of the two teams as they had three seven-game series en route to their Cup last year, but then I remembered that they had the short series (4-0) against the Flyers.
This Cup will be a tough one for me to call. I think I'm leaning toward the Kings at this point, regardless of whom they end up playing in the Final.

The Bruins were definitely not one of those two teams. One was the Red Wings, and I think the other was Colorado.

 

[Walter C]

If the Rangers make it to the Cup Finals, I see them being very tired and having nothing left, and the Kings should take care of them quickly.
The Devils, on the other hand, I feel like they are a different story. A team that I like to write off, but they just refuse to be written off like that, and would have a better shot against the Kings.

 

[Rob Willey]

Does anyone know if the league still brings all the trophies to put on display in the cities where the Cup Final is played? If so, I may get to finally go see them when the Final comes to LA in a couple of weeks.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I'm not sure about the trophies, Rob. I would guess there would be some news of that in your local paper.
Down go the Rangers. So the Finals will be a #6 vs. #8 seed. I doubt anyone picked these two teams at the start of the playoffs.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

A very sad day for Red Wing fans around here -- Nicklas Lidstrom announced his retirement. Here is part of the future first-ballot Hall of Famer's resume:
1. Seven Norris Trophies -- tied for 2nd all time behind Bobby Orr.
2. First European to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP
3. NHL record 1,564 games played for one team
4. Member of 4 Stanley Cup winners
5. First European-born team captain to win a Stanley Cup
6. Scored Olympic goal-medal winning goal for Sweden in 2006
7. 264 career goals; 1,142 career points; 450-plus rating

 

[DavidJ]

Yeah, my afternoon blew up yesterday when the press conference was announced. I was hoping for one more year, but he's going out on his terms and with his typical class. That said, if he wanted to pull a Favre-like retirement and return to the game, I'd be good with that. Not that I think there is any chance of that. They really need to land Suter now.
That's amazing list of accomplishments Scott.

 

[Carlo_M]

Another barn-burner tonight. Kings fans are still waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. The Devils were the aggressors for most of the night, this was not the Kings' best game, they were lucky to get a win. They'll need to do better to close out the series.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I don't think that other shoe is going to drop, Carlo. The Kings playoff road record is one of the most amazing accomplishments I've seen in the NHL. Every team that has won 8 straight or more road playoff games has won a Cup as a result of the streak, so LA would be going against history if they failed now. The Kings are now up to 12 straight road wins -- 10 this season.

 

[Ockeghem]

The only downside for the Kings during the next two games is that they have to play them at home.
Seriously, they will win the Stanley Cup, although I'm not sure how many games it will take them at this point. My guess is a sweep given what has occurred thus far.

 

[Carlo_M]

Wow - I wasn't expecting that result at all. I know that reinserting Gagne was controversial but it didn't seem to hurt the Kings .
It's become painfully clear though that something is really wrong physically with Kovalchuk. Not only is his name ever mentioned in terms of a positive play for the Devils, but when it is brought up, it's because he's turning the puck over in their own zone. I think the decision to play Kovalchuk will haunt NJ if they lose this series. I mean if he was 90% that would be one thing but it looks like he's 50-60% out there and you've got to think that another player, albeit less talented, at 100% would be better for them.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

With or without Kovalchuk, I do not think it would make a difference in this series. This is clearly the Kings year. The only remaining drama is who wins the Conn Smythe -- Quick or Kopitar? Both are deserving.

 

[Carlo_M]

Wow - you never want a championship decided by the referees. I know the Devils were upset over a prior check that wasn't called, but that hit by Bernier on Scuderi was vicious. As a Kings fan I obviously have no problem with the five minute major penalty but I can certainly understand the Devils fans being pissed. Curious how unaffiliated hockey fans feel about it?
Not that this will make NJ fans feel better but at least it happened in the first period so there's two full periods for NJ to make up the difference, and if the refs feel like they did a job on NJ they will probably have a makeup call or two in the remaining periods.

 

[Ockeghem]

So much for my prediction of a sweep! The Kings had better take care of business in game six. As amazing as they have been on the road, I don't think they want a game seven in New Jersey.

 

[Ockeghem]

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Kings for winning the Stanley Cup!

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Congrats to the Kings fans out there. The team had a magical season, setting road playoff winning streak records and becoming the first #8 seed to win the Cup. The team is young, too, so it should be a contender for several years.
Also, congrats to Plymouth Whaler alumnus Justin Williams on winning his second Stanley Cup. FYI, New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer used to coach those same Whalers.
The Devils really lost their composure in this game. It started with the retaliation hit that resulted in a major penalty, and just spiraled from there.

 

[Walter C]

Congrats to the LA Kings for winning the 2012 Stanley Cup. Winning it all with 4 former Flyers on the team.

It's a good thing that they won this game, because had it gone to Game 7, I could not see the Kings winning that game.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The NHL draft is going on right now. Once again, an OHL player -- this time Nail Yakupov of the Sarnia Sting -- is the first overall choice. That is 5 of the last six years that the first overall pick has come from the Ontario Hockey League. Last year, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of the Western Hockey League was the first overall choice of Edmonton, breaking the OHL's streak. Before that, Taylor Hall, John Tavares, Steven Stamkos and Patrick Kane from the OHL were first overall picks.
Montreal selected Yakupov's Sarnia teammate -- Alex Galchenyuk -- with the third overall pick.
The Penguins traded Jordan Staal to Carolina for three picks, reuniting him with his brother Erik. All the Staals are also OHL alumni.
And congrats to the Plymouth Whalers' Tom Wilson of the OHL (my home town team for anyone who hasn't been paying attention to this thread), taken at #16 overall by Washington. This is the third straight draft in which at least one Whaler has gone in the first round. Last year, Whalers Stefan Noesen, Rickard Rakell and J.T. Miller were all first round picks. In 2010, Tyler Seguin went #2 overall to Boston and won a Stanley Cup in his rookie season.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

A few final draft notes:
Three Plymouth Whalers ended up getting drafted. Tom Wilson in the 1st round (as mentioned above), Mitchell Heard in the 2nd round by Colorado, and Cody Payne in the 5th round by Boston.
There were 11 Ontario Hockey League players taken in the first round, the most for any league. The OHL had 48 players drafted, while the three Canadian junior leagues (OHL, WHL and QMJHL) saw 99 total players taken out of the 211 drafted.
The Bruins selected goalie Malcolm Subban in the first round. He is the brother of a Habs player hated throughout Bruinland -- P.K. Subban. There is a third Subban brother still playing for the Belleville Bulls of the OHL.
There was a big run on defenseman early, as eight of the first 10 picks were at that position.

 

[phil*]

Malcolm vs PK Subban.
That should be interesting.