Running 2017-18 NHL thread

[Cosmo]

Capitals open for realsies two weeks from tonight in Ottawa, so let's get this started.

Some early thoughts:
* I agree with Ovechkin. The Capitals will "not be the suck" this year. But they won't challenge for the President's Trophy and will have to navigate that 2-3 series in the Metro to advance to their annual beatdown from the Penguins. Jakub Vrana will have a breakout year.

* Vegas ... I'm interested to see how that roster comes together. I thought they might be OK, but I don't know who other than James Neal scores on the wing for them. They won't finish DFL in the West though. Vancouver looks like a total mess.

* Edmonton takes a leap, reaches the West final and loses. Oilers not quite there yet, but they'll be a blast to watch.

* We'll spend half the season trying to find homes in Seattle for Coyotes' players, but as always, they'll end up staying in Glendale.

* Sneaky team to watch in the East: Carolina. Hurricanes have been plucky in recent years. Could see them reaching the playoffs as a wild card.

 

[Moderator1]

I watched the Caps last night and had no idea who half those guys were and realized half of that half will actually be on the team. You have more faith in Vrana than I do, I was impressed by nothing I saw out of him last season. Still pissed they gave away Johansson.

 

[cyclingwriter2]

Thoughts on Toronto? Do they make a leap in the East (i.e., top four team) or are they two years away from serious contention?

 

[Cosmo]

I watched the Caps last night and had no idea who half those guys were and realized half of that half will actually be on the team. You have more faith in Vrana than I do, I was impressed by nothing I saw out of him last season. Still pissed they gave away Johansson.

I don't watch or put a lot of stock in preseason in any sport. Hockey may be the least useful, since coaches try a million line combos and the team looks different from night to night with people sitting and what not. And yes, still pissed about the Johansson thing. Just awful cap management on GMBM's part. Re: Vrana ... he can't be on a grinder line because he's not a fit there. Maybe he fits in on that third line with Connolly and Eller.

 

[Cosmo]

Thoughts on Toronto? Do they make a leap in the East (i.e., top four team) or are they two years away from serious contention?

They'll be fun. I think they're a year away at least from SC contention. Need to get better in net and on the blue line.

 

[UPChip]

Wings will be terrible and have no cap space. It's going to be a long winter.

 

[ChrisLong]

The faceoff rule is absurd. Rescind it now.

 

[JC]

The faceoff rule is absurd. Rescind it now.

Why? Players will adjust and the preseason is the perfect time for them to be calling it this way.

 

[Liut]

Two Vegas games I watched, the men with orange stripes were really following through on the league's emphasis to cut down slashes.

 

[JC]

They should do it with the hooking and holding through the neutral zone as well.

 

[ChrisLong]

They should do it with the hooking and holding through the neutral zone as well.

Fine with this. But not the face off rule.

 

[JC]

Fine with this. But not the face off rule.

It's not a new rule it's just enforcing what's on the books.

 

[Moderator1]

I still want to watch a game with you two. Pick one, there's three arenas near me

 

[ChrisLong]

It's not a new rule it's just enforcing what's on the books.

I don't remember any public outcry over guys poaching in the faceoff circle. Why are they cracking down on that?
The game I was at last night, they refs were calling the penalty before the players were even lined up. First guy thrown out, second guy glides toward the dot, looking around to make sure he knew where everybody was. He got whistled before he even set his feet and bent over. It happened three times.
Yet the refs managed to miss an entire goal. Everybody in the arena saw it was a goal (all 3,000 or so, yes, a pitiful crowd). Play continued. At the next stoppage, they showed it on the video board so the fans got upset. The ref skated to the announcement area and said, "The call on the ice was no goal. There are no replays in preseason games."
I understand that the players will adjust. They will get used to the slashing penalties. Both teams had 9 minors and there was one fight.
We were just an unruly bunch because it was so cold in the arena. I've read unofficial reports that the NHL has mandated all the arenas be at 50 degrees. Is that true? It seemed colder than that. I've been wearing shorts and T-shirts probably since February. It will probably not be as cold when more people are in the arena.

 

[ChrisLong]

I still want to watch a game with you two. Pick one, there's three arenas near me

Moddy, let's tell JC to meet us at the Prudential Center and you and I can go to MSG.

 

[Evil ... Thy name is Orville Redenbacher!!]

I'm ready....

 

[Liut]

St. Louis loses Robby Fabbri for the season due to another injury to a recently repaired knee. I could be wrong, but Berglund is out until December. Bouwmeester and Steen have what appear to be short-term injuries.

It's overstating the obvious St. Louis could be in store for a rough start to the season.

 

[Cosmo]

Zach Sanford's out for 4-6 months too with a busted shoulder.

 

[Liut]

Zach Sanford's out for 4-6 months too with a busted shoulder.

Wow. Had not heard that. Thanks.

 

[The Big Ragu]

Waiting for the Rangers to announce their roster cutdown. They went from center being a position of depth to a question market. ... with Oscar Lindberg getting plucked in the expansion draft and the trade of Derek Stepan. They had 2 first round picks and chose two centers. Both 18. Lias Anderson, who was the 7th overall pick was supposed to be the more polished of the two. He looked OK in preseason to me, but not amazing. I just read they are going to send him back to Sweden for the year. Filip Chytil was supposed to be the more raw of the two, but with more upside. He looked really good in preseason, not overwhelmed at all, which was cool given that he just turned 18. I suspect they are going to keep him with the team, at least to start the season.

I think the Metropolitan Division is going to be pretty good again this year, so I don't know what to expect. The Rangers will be a different team. Not as deep offensively as they were, but with Brendan Smith sticking around and Kevin Shattenkirk signing, their defense, which sucked, should take a step up. Hopefully, they move the puck out of the zone more quickly and Lundqvist has an easier time of it. Plus. Ryan McDonagh won't have to play 200 minutes a night, run the power play, kill penalties and play both defensive positions (to compensate for Dan Girardi).