OFFICIAL HOCKEY THREAD: NHL, KHL, NCAA, IIHL

jrp44 · May 4, 2017

Great way to tie up the series...few breaks away from a 3-1 series lead or sweep :/ Need to take game 5 on Saturday.

Retroballer · May 4, 2017

After those two beat downs, if we don't go into game 5 with a full head of steam, that's on the coaches.
Rangers byke?

Bad Religion · May 5, 2017

Ah yes, but now they have to deal with the half full Canadian Tire Center!!! Super imposing!

EddieDoyers · May 5, 2017

Are there even any Sens fans here?

Bad Religion · May 5, 2017

Yea I forget his user name, but there is a guy who knows a few of the Sens quite well. He posts in here every so often. Mostly about drinking with them at clubs.

madj55 · May 5, 2017

JJs07 said:
This year had the best team ever assembled in the Ovechkin-era. I think most of us who follow the team know that their championship window was slowly closing. As a matter of fact, after this season, you can probably say it's shut for good. A couple of reasons...

1. There is going to be some MAJOR roster changes at the end of the season. There are a bunch of UFA/RFA players who are, or have been, core members of the franchise. Some big decisions there.

2. Expansion draft

3. Aging star players.

4. Terrible bottom-pairing defensemen (Alzner/Orpik)

5. Inept coaching (Trotz's downfall in Nashville)

In talking about Ovechkin, while 34 goals and 3/4 in the first round aren't terrible, it's a big drop off in production for him. His numbers even-strength are really bad and right now, he's only really dangerous on the PP. He's clearly lost a step, so I hope that if/when this team gets bounced, he re-evaluates his training. Maybe come into camp about 10-15 pounds lighter and do something to try to gain back some of his quickness. There was a time when Ovechkin would have everyone in the arena on their feet when he had the puck on his stick in the neutral zone. When he does this now, it's painful to watch.

Next year, this Caps team will look completely different.

UFA - Winnik, Oshie, Williams, Shattenkirk, Alzner

RFA - Burakovsky, Kuznetsov, Connolly, Orlov, Schmidt, Grubbauer

Caps will certainly be priced out of the Oshie sweepstakes...Shattenkirk will most likely command a salary with an AAV over 6 mil, and Williams has probably had enough of the choking here in DC and will move on.

For the RFAs, Connolly is as good as gone, and I think they'll give Burakovsky a bridge deal, while paying a big number for Kuznetsov. That leaves guys like Schmidt, Orlov, and Grubbauer out there, and I think those 3 will be exposed to the expansion draft, with the Caps losing both Grubbauer and Schmidt.

I have no clue what the Caps will look like next year, but for cup runs with Ovechkin as the centerpiece of the core, this is it.

Ovi skating with the third line today..

needsomejays · May 5, 2017

Crosby back at practice [emoji]128526[/emoji]

DeadsetAce · May 5, 2017

madj55 said:
Ovi skating with the third line today..

yikes

DeadsetAce · May 5, 2017

man Sobotka is such a stud. he showed so much promise back when we had him. playing GREAT for STL in the post season

EddieDoyers · May 5, 2017

needsomejays said:
Crosby back at practice [emoji]128526[/emoji]

Bad Religion · May 5, 2017

EddieDoyers · May 5, 2017

Looks like I got wifi in my hotel room
Gonna watch the first period before I head off and do some shenanigans

EddieDoyers · May 5, 2017

Getzlaf lays a soft hit on Lucic...Lucic still gets hurt yikes

physicx · May 5, 2017

I ain't celebrating ****.

DeadsetAce · May 5, 2017

McJesus looking like a young DSA out there :hat

DeadsetAce · May 6, 2017

masterful 3 on 1

Bad Religion · May 6, 2017

Safest lead in hockey.

lvjordan238 · May 6, 2017

As the Ducks and Caps continue to prove year after year, choking is incurable. I've never seen 2 teams that are more mentally fragile especially the star players.