[lilg1993]

congrats to shopvac and the Pens . now that you guys have won I will go back to hating Pittsburgh.

but well, now its over . until next season, boys

[fecurtis]

Congrats to Eric Fehr but for the rest of them....

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by fecurtis

Congrats to Eric Fehr but for the rest of them....

My sentiments exactly. I was very glad to see F16 lift the cup for himself. I am gutted for Wardo though, I really love him as a hockey player and was sad to see him leave the Caps.

Penguins were definitely the better team, they deserve it. I have resolved myself to loosely follow the Caps next year, if at all. Honestly after 30+ years of anguish, and near victory followed by deep disappointment I think I've earned some time off.

[ShopVac]

I'll leave it with this picture...

And someday, if he works really hard on his passing, shooting, and team play, maybe....just maybe...Ovie can find out what it feels like to ride in the back of a pickup with a big shiny trophy in front of him surrounded by 400,000 of his closest friends.

Unfortunately, I think the Caps would need to ditch their GM and POS owner first.

Hate the picture for what it is. You're gonna hear all about it next year.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

Unfortunately, I think the Caps would need to ditch their GM and POS owner first.

I'm starting to agree with this. I mean, they got rid of the GM who may have made one of the worst hockey trades ever (Forsberg for Erat) and replaced him with the other guy that was in the room when they made the worst trade ever (Forsberg for Erat).

The next pressing need they had was a head coach who could take a team on a deep playoff run, so they hired a guy who has never been beyond the second round of the playoffs.

I have no problem with Ovi, heck the Caps first line was pretty good in the playoffs. The problem is that they were the only line that gave the Caps production in the playoffs. The Penguins won because of incredible depth and excellent play from all of their lines, not to mention incredible goal tending from a rookie no less.

[ShopVac]

I'm not sure it's all the GM's fault. I think your boy Ted Leonsis has his finger on too much that goes on there. As an outsider looking in...he reminds me of Jerry Jones. I don't mean that in a positive way...

Ovie's line was fine. Oshie is a beast as well (BTW, I'd take that trade, any day of the week). I'll admit - to win the cup, you need to get some bounces (ie, luck). Majority is skill - we all get that...most of the teams making the playoff have most of that, but you need some luck, you need some poise (when your back is against the wall in a game 6 or 7), and you need sacrifice.

We got lucky in a couple games that series (Weber's clear directly to Hornqvist probably #1 for the Pens). Beagle's unreal save (play of the playoffs) for the Caps could have made a difference if they would have scored the other way. Caps win that game after Beagles save...I think the series is tilted.

I question the Caps sacrifice in that series...I didn't see too many blocked shots in that series other than the D (which they should do). Would have liked to see the F's step up a bit there. I think they tried to win on skill alone...good for the regular season, not so good for playoffs.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

I think they tried to win on skill alone...good for the regular season, not so good for playoffs.

I think that statement sums it up right there, and I think you're spot on. It's why the Caps haven't gone anywhere in the Ovi-era.

I don't see much changing for the Caps next year. Their third and fourth lines aren't good enough to let them NOT rely on the top two lines for everything. You need solid third and fourth lines to win in the playoffs. Look at what having strong third and fourth lines did for the Penguins...

Mike Sullivan did an unreal job with the Penguins this year. He totally transformed that team overnight. He's my vote for coach of the year. I wish the Caps had a coach like that.

[ShopVac]

Just to add to the Caps misery. NHL schedule recently released, Pens open their home game against the Capitals. So...it looks like Ovie is going to catch a banner raising after all.

Some rumors had Fleury going to Calgary for a 1st round pick (since Pens got none).

Looks like Anaheim was in this mix some too...and made a move. Andersen traded to Toronto for what was the 1st round pick of the Pens, # 30 overall (given for Phil 'The Thrill' Kessel). This is a good pick up for Toronto...and hope Gibson can handle the heat on his own now.

July 1st is right around the corner folks!

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

Just to add to the Caps misery. NHL schedule recently released, Pens open their home game against the Capitals. So...it looks like Ovie is going to catch a banner raising after all.

Just saw that. The Caps got to watch Chicago raise theirs in 2013. Maybe there is a conspiracy after all, and the NHL really does hate the Caps...

[Raygun]

Wow, what an afternoon.

First: Edmonton trades Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson (WHY CHIARELLI WHY??!!)
Then: Montreal trades Subban for Weber
Next: Tampa re-signs stamkos

Now just wait patiently for the oilers to sign lucic

[///WORK-F36]

Originally Posted by Raygun

Wow, what an afternoon.

First: Edmonton trades Taylor Hall for Adam Larsson (WHY CHIARELLI WHY??!!)
Then: Montreal trades Subban for Weber
Next: Tampa re-signs stamkos

Now just wait patiently for the oilers to sign lucic

My thoughts exactly....they're gonna overpay for Lucic.

[ShopVac]

I saw Larsson when he played in the IIHF World Jr's up in Buffalo....he looked like a total stud, and he was probably getting 40 minutes a game. Shocked that he didn't turn into something more.

From that, I see Ray Shero is trying to rebuild the Penguins over in Jersey...rumor has it that Beau Bennett broke his arm while packing his suitcase.

[trixdout]

Taylor Hall at the Devils is a sight unseen for the Devils in a long time. Maybe finally we can have an offense again like when Parise was with us. Granted Taylor Hall is definitely not an exact replacement for Parise. Parise was just a workhorse for us.

[ShopVac]

Yeah....don't get your hopes up on him, Pens thought they were getting something in Edmonton's Perron too (guess something good did come from him...Hagelin)

Firm believer that most shitty teams have shitty players on them. And if you pull enough players from a bunch of those shitty teams, you end up with a shitty team yourself. Just don't get why GMs can't see this....

[trixdout]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

Yeah....don't get your hopes up on him, Pens thought they were getting something in Edmonton's Perron too (guess something good did come from him...Hagelin)

Firm believer that most shitty teams have shitty players on them. And if you pull enough players from a bunch of those shitty teams, you end up with a shitty team yourself. Just don't get why GMs can't see this....

I see your point, but he's got something to prove since he seems to be slighted by the deal. Clearly was not happy with the trade.

[JohnnyCanuck]

Taylor Hall isn't David Perron. He's an elite player well deserving of being taken at the top of the draft in his draft year. He's the same level of talent as Mathews and Laine from this year (not a generational talent like McDavid, but a worthy #1 overall pick).

It was a hell of a trade for the Devils and Chiarelli could have done much better in terms on talent coming the other way if he wasn't driven by cap considerations (McDavid, Nugent-Hopkins, Eberle, and Nurse will all be coming off entry level deals within the next two years and he's going to need $$$ to pay for them and, of course, Lucic).

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

Yeah....don't get your hopes up on him, Pens thought they were getting something in Edmonton's Perron too (guess something good did come from him...Hagelin)

Firm believer that most shitty teams have shitty players on them. And if you pull enough players from a bunch of those shitty teams, you end up with a shitty team yourself. Just don't get why GMs can't see this....

So.... Is Kessel to your Pens the exception to that?

[ShopVac]

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

So.... Is Kessel to your Pens the exception to that?

Nice try

Kessel played for a good team in Boston prior to going to that black hole we call the Maple Leafs. So at one point in his life...he knew what it was like to win. Just needed to be found again...

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

Nice try

Kessel played for a good team in Boston prior to going to that black hole we call the Maple Leafs. So at one point in his life...he knew what it was like to win. Just needed to be found again...

meh... he was a miss fit in Boston from the get go, that's why they got rid of him.

That said I always thought he just needed the right situation to excel.
I was royally PO'd when Burke brought him in.
Completely the wrong type of player for a team supposedly in rebuild mode.
Kessel is a finisher to be added the way Pens did for that push over the top.

Truth of the matter is that Kessel coming to Toronto from Boston was all about Burke's ego.

I was really happy to see how it worked out for him and Pens this year.

[ShopVac]

I thought Boston ditched him because of salary cap issues, not so much that they didn't want him.

And here I thought the misfit in Toronto was Burke himself

[ShopVac]

George McPhee signed as the new GM for the Las Vegas team.

Well...I think it's safe to say that this organization will amount to nothing. He was 50% of the issue in Washington...

[JohnnyCanuck]

Originally Posted by ShopVac

George McPhee signed as the new GM for the Las Vegas team.

Well...I think it's safe to say that this organization will amount to nothing. He was 50% of the issue in Washington...

Really? 7 division championships, eight 40 win seasons, a President's Trophy, and a Stanley Cup Finals appearance. That's a hell of a good record. Sure, there were some questionable coaching hires (Dale Hunter, Adam Oates), and a few contracts that look bad in hindsight ... but over 17 seasons that's going to happen. Bottom line is that his teams won and won a lot.

While playoff success in Washington was a bit more elusive, in terms of building an expansion team I doubt there's a better pick out there than McPhee.