NY/Tampa game 3: Playoff Hockey, yeah!
Equally Obnoxious Hockey Trash Talk Thread, eh?
- Thread starter MeatyPortion
- Start date
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Gotta love playoff hockey. Lets Go Bolts! Or at least Boo NYR!
Good for them. I am tired of the Leafs disappointment, season after season. it finally looks like they are completely cleaning up the entire system and getting serious with fixing it. They have the biggest and most loyal fans and, frankly, have the money to spend on the Front Office.
Shanahan and Babcock are good starts, and if their philosophy of what a front office and coaching system meshes well (And I have no reason to think they don't, since Shanny spent a ****LOAD of money to nab Babcock!), then they are well on their way to filling in the blanks.
Let's start at the beginning. A lot of teams are built to win the cup in a few short years. Maybe a veteran or two are brought in and they have some talented youth they got for a song to balance the payroll. Quite often that young talent takes off for better pay and the team is stuck with older veterans earning probably more on backloaded contracts than they are really worth. And the low-income youth that comes in to replace the talent that just left isn't quite good enough to get it done.
I think what Shanny is planning to do is to retool the farm system similar to what Detroit and a few other teams have done and that's to make their farm system weed out the weaker players and let the cream rise to the top and maybe uncover a few hidden gems. This takes time.
And don't get me wrong, this is not to say that such a system would guarantee cap contending teams year after year, but it does allow for a better choice to be made when younger talent has to move up. Obviously you still need superstars and experienced veterans AND a goalie having a great year.
My point is that Shanny and babcock I think are on the same page and from what I've seen of the Leafs this season and from what I've heard from the area newspapers, I think that there are likely to be some changes in the team very soon, and I think that a build towards a cup contending team will happen very quickly.
If they fill in the blanks with the front office and can manage to get players to accept the new philosophy, then I don't see why the Leafs can't finally get a team that doesn't choke in the last half of the season. They might have a team that can get out of the first round once in a while and after a few years when the players they need are in place, maybe a Cup Final appearance.
Of course, Babcock hasn't gotten Detroit out of the first round but once since like 2009, so...
And after all, with the salary cap in place the NHL has become one of the most competitive leagues in the world, so it's always going to be hard for ANY team willing to hit the cap to win it all.
Frankly, I'm hoping Blashill will move up to Detroit and continue his success with the younger players that he's show at Western Michigan and Grand Rapids. IMO he has the numbers to show he's as likely to do well as head coach of the Wings as any other candidate.
sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
I disagree. $50m over 8 years is a steal for a coach of Babcock's caliber. I'll bet he left some much higher offers on the table to take on the challenge of resurrecting the Leafs. He certainly has his work cut out for him. I agree with your assessment of Shanahan (that thug!) and Babcock retooling the farm system to make it look more like Detroit or Chicago's. That is definitely a recipe for success but it will take a few years for it to turn out right. They really need to draft well and scout Europe for the next couple of years to make it all work, and then they need to give those prospects time to develop. With Babcock at the helm, I'd say they could be contenders in 2019-2020
I don't think there is any other team besides Buffalo willing to pay that much for Babcock. That's well more than TWICE the highest paid coach was getting.
Not that they are not worth it, but it's a major shift in salary for Front Office personnel. Now you will see GMs and Presidents getting paid more because of it.
I bet all of the other franchise owners are cursing the Leafs today!
As far as whether it's worth it, only time will tell. Babcock certainly has a worthy record and reputation, but he wouldn't be the first guy to look good at signing only to turn out mediocre after a few seasons.
And you KNOW Toronto is never happy unless they are firing coaches and retooling.
sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
True dat
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Genghis
... and the banned played on.
Particularly the Sabres. Word out of the Buffalo media is that the team thought they had an agreement with Babcock (nothing signed though), and even scheduled a presser for Monday to announce his hiring.
Particularly the Sabres. Word out of the Buffalo media is that the team thought they had an agreement with Babcock (nothing signed though), and even scheduled a presser for Monday to announce his hiring.
I know, right? I don't know how a guy wouldn't choose Buffalo over pretty much any other...
HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!
Ah hell, I can't say say the whole thing with a straight face! :cross:
sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
Big game tonight for my boys in red, I hope they can pull it off
If not, it will be very hard to win in Anaheim... Two more times. Let's go Hawks!
Holy crap Anaheim. And here I thought the series was going to be tied...
Love playoff hockey when I don't have a team in...
Ducks almost pulled off the comeback. That was a lot of fun.
sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
This series is one for the ages! I had three heart attacks last night, great floccin hockey all around!
arturo7
Well-Known Member
I find it amazing that at this stage in the playoffs, neither team could manage to play a full 60 minutes.
Yeah, given that I posted that well before last night, I was talking about the previous game. You know, with the insane 3rd period where the Ducks came back to take the lead from a 2 goal deficit only to lose in OT.
Thanks.
Go bolts! I'll be at the stadium tonite to (hopefully) see Tampa Bay win their ticket to the finals. Woot.
Throw the Rags in the trash where they belong
Uhh I mean send those delightful fellows from New York on a surprise golfing vacation.
Funny guys! (Really, I laughed)
But it's not going that way right now. Think how much fun game 7 could be.
But it's not going that way right now. Think how much fun game 7 could be.
Ugh, that was painful last night.
Yeah, it was 2-0, or 2-1 when I posted, but it got away. Still loving all of the Game 7s.
sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
Wow! Unbelievable game last night. Keith is a maniac!
He really is. Amazing that he is withstanding the physical beating of the ducks. I've been a hockey fan for a long time, and don't understand how the Duck's 2nd goal was allowed. Goaltender interference should have clearly been called. That being said, the Ducks will continue making questionable hits if the refs aren't calling and the Hawks aren't scoring on the PP. They have nothing to lose.
Game 7 is gonna be epic!
LGH!!!
arturo7
Well-Known Member
Wow, a Hawks fan complaining about questionable hits.
sudbuddy
Hang on, I had something for this
WTF is that supposed to mean? That second Ducks goal was CLEARLY goalie interference and should never have been allowed. You've caught a nice break with Wes McCauley calling this series since he's had it out for the Hawks ever since he left the Red Wings organization. Wait. I should back up. You're a Ducks fan so let me explain some hockey things to you:
Wes McCauley (the officiating crew chief for this series) played much of his career in Detroit. As such, he REALLY hates the Hawks. He has made a large number of questionable calls against the Hawks in the past few years (mostly in the playoffs) and is a more or less reprehensible human being.
Yes, the Ducks and the Blackhawks are incredibly evenly matched. Yes, this series is absolutely one for the ages. No, the Ducks really don't need any assistance from crooked referees. Wes McCauley has taken an otherwise legendary series and perverted it because of his own petty hatred.
I've really enjoyed watching the play from both sides this series. It has been epic. But sadly the officiating has been shamefully abysmal
You must be a Blues fan . . . The Blackhawks are a finesse team that don't hit very often. Did you perhaps think we were talking about the Atlanta Hawks (basketball team)?
You may want to look at Wes McCauley's ACTUAL NHL career before you make that claim.
McCauley was DRAFTED by the Wings very late in the draft and never played a single NHL game by ANY team.
He did play hockey at MSU for a few years. So yeah, it's POSSIBLE he hates the Hawks for beating the Wings twice in the playoffs while he was at MSU. But he's from Toronto, so I don't see much hometown pride being injured from it.
