Flynn

I see so much about metrics, and underlying data and terms like fools gold and underdog.. But you know what?

1. Fuck all that

2. Its impossible to luck yourself in to 54 (hopefully 55) wins.

If the team had gotten fat and happy beating up on the bottom of the league and failed whenever the opponent was quality, I'd have some concerns. 

The Team went 22-16 -1 vs. teams in the playoffs today. 14-8-1 vs the East (Florida 1-2 and surprisingly Washington 2-2 are the only teams we didn't win the season series) and 8-8 vs. the West (split with everyone except Col - 2-0, and Vegas 0-2).

Every team has warts- a couple favored teams will get bounced in round 1- it always happens.  

Let's fucking go

19 hours ago, Ranger Lothbrok said:

Chiming in here with my usual (well-earned) pessimism. There's a reason that if you look at pundit picks for Cup champs this year, it's the same names we've heard since October: Colorado, Dallas, Boston, Carolina, Florida, etc. Not a one has picked us. I know sometimes we relish the whole "underdog" mentality, but I think there's an uncomfortable amount of truth in the whole "Fool's Gold" mentality. 

 

Yes, Igor rounding into form is better than any deadline add. And yes, one win and we tie up the President's Trophy. But how many Cup champs in the last decade have won BECAUSE of elite goaltending? If the team is deep enough, you can get away with a warm body in net. Jordan Binnington has a championship ring and zero Vezina votes. Henrik has zero rings and tons of Vezina votes. 

 

The offense is anemic at 5 on 5. Panarin has yet to show that he can produce in the playoffs. Zibanejad is, ostensibly, our #1 center. His production is at a near all-time low. He doesn't stack up favorably to the MacKinnons and Ahos of the world. Trouba makes this team worse defensively and gets more and more trust. Lafreniere may be ready to be a difference maker, but Kakko hasn't taken that next step. 

 

The precious "core" that we've hung out hats on are all 32-33. They have yet to show that they're gamers. Teams clamp down defensively, and refs let more stuff go. Soft hooking calls aren't going to get you meaningful PP time, and we've shown that we have very little going for us outside Shesterkin and the PP.

 

To put it more bluntly: I believe that every single team that is making the playoffs in the East other than the Capitals or the Red Wings is better built for playoff hockey than we are. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I really have yet to see the "want it" from this roster. Maybe last year's embarrassment is enough motivation, but they were totally gutless when pressured by a hated rival last year. 

 

I still think Shesterkin, Fox, Lafreniere, Kakko, Miller, Schneider, etc. are all part of a dangerous roster down the road. But I don't think the current group of veteran "stars" (Panarin, Zibanejad, Kreider) has what it takes to bring us to the promised land. This team SCREAMS first-round-exit-with-a-whimper to me. I doubt they even make it to 7 games in a series. 

 

And if you ask why I'm so pessimistic, well, one Cup in 84 years will do that to you. As will a first-round exit last year to a team that isn't even sniffing the playoffs this year despite being largely unchanged. We made Akira Schmid look like a world-beater. He can't even stay in the NHL. He's barely AHL qualify. What does that say about this offense when teams clamp down in the playoffs? 

I mean.. its hard to argue with 84 years of results and common sense... But after I read that I immediately pictured @Ranger Lothbrok standing in the mall on December 20th, telling every kid that just got off Santa's lap "you know kid, he's fake and there is no such thing as Santa" . 

Heart-

Balls-

I’m certain Gustafson could be shooting at an unattended net the size of a soccer goal and be faced with one 5’1” 88lb defender on the ice- and would somehow get his shot blocked 

20 minutes to determine if this team has any heart or any balls. 

Thanks Jimmy V. Dickhead 

Blowing this, finishing 2nd, playing Tampa and getting walked in 5. I’ve seen this movie before. 

Fantastic response! Hell of a job. 

Mike Knuble for Trivia... or Mike Keenan's Merkin 

Cups last forever.. I don't care if we have to beg, borrow, or steal to get it.. I hope we get every bounce, break, and missed call possible nd are considered the luckiest team in the history of sport. I will smile and be sustained by the tears of all other fanbases.  

I wish we were playing the Islanders tonight- It would have been a very apropos, in light of OJ's demise to have 2 criminally viscous slashes handed out by Tro and Mika go unpunished.  

Shitpump these fools. 

15 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

That's the most pissed off Lav has been all season.

I wish we were playing the Piles on Thursday rather than Philly. 

Carolina has @St Louis, @Chicago and @Columbusleft. I can see them getting all 6 points. Boston has @Pittsburgh @ Washington, Ottawa. 

We need to win 2 of the 3 - Losing the division at the finish line would be brutal. Getting the 2nd seed would be as bad.   Need to nut up and squash Phi/NYI/OTT 

Fucking gross loss. 

so fucking cute

SHOOT THE PUCK 

The Canes media love affair is about reach critical mass

Yes!!!!!!

There we go 

Lav better be shitting down throats during intermission. This was just embarrassing hockey. 

1 minute ago, mbob said:

Play down two d-men and you can count on things going to shit as the game progresses 

Devils in the same boat. No excuse for this shit 

This is atrocious. This is a team that gets walked in 6 games. Show up for Christ sakes. 
 

After that Pittsburgh bed shitting, this is inexcusable 

What an awful period. 

Worst game of the year tonight. Pittsburgh has a toe tag on. The first 50 minutes was inexcusable 

They can’t all be super models and filet mignons.. sometimes it’s a big girl and some Papa John’s. The next morning the story is dinner and some sex.