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[W:279]NHL 2021

It's not hard at all, if you examine the facts. There isn't a professional sports league in North America that has a balanced schedule for all teams, and yet observers are able to view the available data and make such judgements. As many state, you can only take care of the games on your schedule, and how you handle them determines your relative ability and standing within the league. Playoffs, clearly, determine who is playing the best at the time it counts most, but playoff victories don't necessarily indicate which team is the best team, just which team is playing the best and many times luckiest, including health of the players, at that particular time.

Clearly, you have a bug up your ass as it relates to the Leafs, and that's fine - you're entitled to your irrational biases.
Clearly the BIAS is yours as a leaf fan. My statement that you really can't judge the best team in a league when you don't play 75% of the other teams. I love the equivocating regarding the best team and winning in the playoffs when it counts. Almost like you are getting ready for the usual Leaf performance. Check out the east, a grinder every night. A really good team won't be making the playoffs.
 
Clearly the BIAS is yours as a leaf fan. My statement that you really can't judge the best team in a league when you don't play 75% of the other teams. I love the equivocating regarding the best team and winning in the playoffs when it counts. Almost like you are getting ready for the usual Leaf performance. Check out the east, a grinder every night. A really good team won't be making the playoffs.
Yes, another "no easy games", "grinder" East division game for the Islanders tonight as they take down the Buffalo Sabres for about the 10th time this season. The juggernaut Sabres "grinding" down another Eastern division opponent as they continue their successful run at the number one spot in the upcoming draft.

Double bonus for Hari - Leafs, playing third game in four nights on the road, back to back with air travel to a resting opponent's rink, third string goalie in net gives up two weak goals so far and the Leafs trail 2-1 after 40 minutes. Better team in both the season and in this particular game losing, but imagine how bad the Leafs would be if they had to play the awesome Buffalo Sabres ever second night.
 
Yes, another "no easy games", "grinder" East division game for the Islanders tonight as they take down the Buffalo Sabres for about the 10th time this season. The juggernaut Sabres "grinding" down another Eastern division opponent as they continue their successful run at the number one spot in the upcoming draft.

Double bonus for Hari - Leafs, playing third game in four nights on the road, back to back with air travel to a resting opponent's rink, third string goalie in net gives up two weak goals so far and the Leafs trail 2-1 after 40 minutes. Better team in both the season and in this particular game losing, but imagine how bad the Leafs would be if they had to play the awesome Buffalo Sabres ever second night.
What happened to this is the schedule, these are the teams we play? Oh right its the Isles playing poor competition. I watched the Washington / Boston game the other night. A real defensive grinder, 2 -1 in OT. Be interesting to see how they would do against the Caps, Bruins (we know how it usually ends), Pens and Isles on a nightly basis.
 
What happened to this is the schedule, these are the teams we play? Oh right its the Isles playing poor competition. I watched the Washington / Boston game the other night. A real defensive grinder, 2 -1 in OT. Be interesting to see how they would do against the Caps, Bruins (we know how it usually ends), Pens and Isles on a nightly basis.
You're entire narrative since I originally posted about the Leafs' upcoming road trip was that the North is weak, not difficult at all, and every game in the East is a grind and there are no easy games in the East I simply pointed out, in a sarcastic way, that your position is nonsense. If you want to discount the Leafs' success so far this season, that's fine, but don't claim the East is so much more powerful when about half the points the Islanders have so far this season are from games won over the Sabres, the Devils, and the Rangers, three teams that wouldn't make the playoffs in any of the four divisions. So, of the eight teams in the East, three are givens as being unlikely to make the playoffs, leaving five teams to fight for four playoff spots. That's no different or more difficult than any other division.

In the old Atlantic division, the Leafs pretty much always played the Bruins even in the regular season and in the playoffs, the Leafs lost three times in seven game series, twice having a 3-2 lead in the series before losing the last two games - not a great record, but hardly a record that would indicate great superiority by the Bruins. Likewise, the one time the Leafs played the Capitals in the playoffs was when their young stars were new to the league/playoffs and they took the Capitals to six games - again, hardly indicative of great superiority over the Leafs.

I can't remember the last time the Leafs played the Islanders in the playoffs - neither team has done much of anything for over 30 years, the Leafs even longer. What might be interesting, from the Leafs' perspective, is what happens to whatever team wins the North division and whether or not they get to play any third round games at home, considering the border issues. In all likelihood, the Leafs will have to relocate either to an NHL bubble in the US or to a new city in the US, likely a city of a US team out of the playoffs, and that will be a distinct disadvantage to the Leafs unless all of the four division winners have to relocate to a bubble in a neutral city.
 
Brent Seabrook is done.

Some of the non-hockey fans may remember Brent best for this.
 
Brent Seabrook is done.

Some of the non-hockey fans may remember Brent best for this.

Not condoning what Seabrook received but he gave Perry a cheap head shot first. Retaliation is how they handle it in the NHL.
 
You're entire narrative since I originally posted about the Leafs' upcoming road trip was that the North is weak, not difficult at all, and every game in the East is a grind and there are no easy games in the East I simply pointed out, in a sarcastic way, that your position is nonsense. If you want to discount the Leafs' success so far this season, that's fine, but don't claim the East is so much more powerful when about half the points the Islanders have so far this season are from games won over the Sabres, the Devils, and the Rangers, three teams that wouldn't make the playoffs in any of the four divisions. So, of the eight teams in the East, three are givens as being unlikely to make the playoffs, leaving five teams to fight for four playoff spots. That's no different or more difficult than any other division.

In the old Atlantic division, the Leafs pretty much always played the Bruins even in the regular season and in the playoffs, the Leafs lost three times in seven game series, twice having a 3-2 lead in the series before losing the last two games - not a great record, but hardly a record that would indicate great superiority by the Bruins. Likewise, the one time the Leafs played the Capitals in the playoffs was when their young stars were new to the league/playoffs and they took the Capitals to six games - again, hardly indicative of great superiority over the Leafs.

I can't remember the last time the Leafs played the Islanders in the playoffs - neither team has done much of anything for over 30 years, the Leafs even longer. What might be interesting, from the Leafs' perspective, is what happens to whatever team wins the North division and whether or not they get to play any third round games at home, considering the border issues. In all likelihood, the Leafs will have to relocate either to an NHL bubble in the US or to a new city in the US, likely a city of a US team out of the playoffs, and that will be a distinct disadvantage to the Leafs unless all of the four division winners have to relocate to a bubble in a neutral city.
I am not denying the Leafs are a very good team. Of course they are with a lot of skill players. My objection was calling them the best when teams only play 25% of the league. I do think the east is stronger than the Canadian division but I give credit to the Leafs for holding down the Oilers who have excellent offensive players. Simmonds was a good addition for his toughness, a shame he got hurt.

The Isles have 4 wins over the Sabres but also 3 over the Bruins. Last year they were terrific in OT, this year they are 0 for 4. All wins in regulation. Buffalo actually started out fairly well but lost a bunch of players and playing time to Covid. They have yet to recover.

I have watched little of the other divisions this year. I get the 3 NY metro teams and NBC has had the east on a lot. The playoffs should be fun and the Isles aren't a lock to make it but I think they will. Covid and injuries could change that, who knows. I'm just happy they are playing well and have a lot of young talent. 2 rookies in the starting lineup and Dobson almost a rookie playing really well. It could have been ugly with the trade of Towes to Colororado. He's the real deal. Martin had 2 goals last night including 1 from the corner even with the goal off the goalies head.
 
So last night the Flyers gave up three goals to Penguins before the game was 4 minutes old.

Then came back to WIN 4-3.:eek:
In Pittsburgh with fans!!!!

This, after being clobbered by the Crosby-less Penguins on Tuesday.

What a crazy season this is so far.
 
Capitols' Goon puts another guy in the hospital.


Here's a few of this clown's "highlights."


SMH. Has the NHL done away with the Boarding penalty?
Boarding. A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any player who checks or pushes a defenseless opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to hit or impact the boards violently or dangerously. The severity of the penalty, based upon the impact with the boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee.
There are at least four obvious cases of it in the video above, yet I do not see the ref raising his arm in any of them.
 
Highlight reel goal by Barzal. Over take the defenseman, skate across the goal, draw the goalie to his right and put in in with the stick between his legs to the goalies left just inside the post.
 
Highlight reel goal by Barzal. Over take the defenseman, skate across the goal, draw the goalie to his right and put in in with the stick between his legs to the goalies left just inside the post.
 
I remember watching the Isles against the North Stars with those color uniforms. Looks weird today.
Ah, back when the North Stars we’re still in Minnesota. I forgot all about that. The image above shows NS retro uniforms now worn by the Wild.

No wonder I was confused.
 
Highlight reel goal by Barzal. Over take the defenseman, skate across the goal, draw the goalie to his right and put in in with the stick between his legs to the goalies left just inside the post.
I know you don't like me commenting on these, but geeze - another two games for the Islanders against Buffalo this weekend - are they in a separate division by themselves? Seriously, though, I haven't looked at the schedule, but the Isles must have a lot of tough division opponents stacked up in the latter part of the season which will either cause them trouble making the playoffs or steel them for a playoff run.
 
As I posted previously, a lot can change in a week in this new format. Leafs go from world beaters in a totally dominating three game sweep of the Oilers to offensive incompetence in turning a bad goalie into a great goalie in the two games lost in Vancouver. Leafs always have trouble in Vancouver, but no way they should lose two games like that against a vastly inferior opponent considering they sweep the Canucks in a three game series in Toronto earlier in the season. This type of inconsistency is not a welcome sign to those of us who are Leafs fans and have seen that far too often in the past.

Next up, the Leafs try to beat back the latest challenge to their first place standing in the North with three games at home against the now second place Winnipeg Jets. So far they've been up to every such challenge, but the Jets are a tough opponent with excellent goaltending to the Leafs' offense better find themselves again quickly or they might get passed in the standings.
 
As I posted previously, a lot can change in a week in this new format. Leafs go from world beaters in a totally dominating three game sweep of the Oilers to offensive incompetence in turning a bad goalie into a great goalie in the two games lost in Vancouver. Leafs always have trouble in Vancouver, but no way they should lose two games like that against a vastly inferior opponent considering they sweep the Canucks in a three game series in Toronto earlier in the season. This type of inconsistency is not a welcome sign to those of us who are Leafs fans and have seen that far too often in the past.

Next up, the Leafs try to beat back the latest challenge to their first place standing in the North with three games at home against the now second place Winnipeg Jets. So far they've been up to every such challenge, but the Jets are a tough opponent with excellent goaltending to the Leafs' offense better find themselves again quickly or they might get passed in the standings.
I see the Leafs lead the NHL with nearly 40 points while the rest of the league has yet to clear 35. Of course, the seasonal standings mean little in that the proof is always that second season, as hockey seems to be the one sport where the league leader often sees an early playoff exist (unless we're talking about Tom Brady on a wildcard team beating the Packers and Saints....but, I digress).

I'd probably say the Lightening are still the team to beat (who had Tampa as Titletown on their 2020 Bingo Card?). On that note, seeing Vegas at the top in the West again is kind of surreal. Out East, the Islanders in first is flashback-like, but I suspect the Capitals are the best team in that division. As for the Lightening, the Panthers are now their nemesis. That's a surprise.
 
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Uhhh .... Bruins.
Yeah, but...

They haven't impressed me much this year. I'd almost say the Blackhawks are better than Boston right now.
 
I know you don't like me commenting on these, but geeze - another two games for the Islanders against Buffalo this weekend - are they in a separate division by themselves? Seriously, though, I haven't looked at the schedule, but the Isles must have a lot of tough division opponents stacked up in the latter part of the season which will either cause them trouble making the playoffs or steel them for a playoff run.
The result of Covid where the Sabres didn't play for like 2 weeks. I knew you would appreciate them playing the Sabres 3 games in a row. Still a really cool goal against a solid defensemen.
 
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