NHL Predictions - Page 3

Triumph36 · #21 08-13-2005, 05:43 PM

The supposed 'offensive' changes will not be as huge as thought. Taking the red line out will actually help defenses - offenses will be less likely to take chances with defensemen, and will jam the neutral zone even more to prevent long passes. The penalty calls and goaltending changes will increase goals, but I do not think goals in 05-06 will be equal to that of say, 95-96.

The Rangers will be terrible. Their defense is Darius Kasparaitis, Marek Malik, Tom Poti, Fedor Tyutin, and who knows what else (Bryce Lampman? Maxim Kondratiev? Jarko Immonen? Thomas Pock?). Poti is terrible defensively, Malik is prone to awful turnovers, and Kasparaitis consistently takes himself out of position. To add to that, Kevin Weekes is an average goaltender, and I don't see them throwing Lundqvist into the NHL right away. While the Rangers have a very good/great first line (Rucinsky, Straka, Jagr) and Nylander for the second, they have no one on the lower lines but rookies, and the Rangers really don't have many good ones - Jozef Balej comes to mind, but I'm not convinced about Lundmark and Dominic Moore, and Murray and Ortmeyer look like role players.

They will not finish in last place (that dishonor belongs to the Capitals), but they will not be near the playoffs.

#22 08-13-2005, 10:06 PM

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n the East, it looks like only the Capitals, Hurricanes, and Rangers have no chance

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The Rangers are not as bad or wont be nearly as bad as everyone is thinking.

#1. I bet Lundquist is going to get some serious PT, and based on his play over in Europe he will make some heads spin.

#2. The Rangers signed Straka. No big deal alone, but when he is reunited with Jagr, expect some magical things in this new offensive era with them together.

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I am a big NYR fan ... and I think you're nuts. They are going to be terrible this year. They are going to have something like 10-12 "young" players (rookies, second years) in the regular lineup. I would be surprised if they win 30 games. I hope I'm wrong.

Clarkmeister · #23 08-14-2005, 12:12 AM

I predict I won't care.

The Blues trading Pronger pretty much eradicated the tiny chance that I'd care about it at all in the near future.

Tuco · #24 08-14-2005, 03:54 AM

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Taking the red line out will actually help defenses - offenses will be less likely to take chances with defensemen, and will jam the neutral zone even more to prevent long passes.

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This is wrong. Jam the neutral zone up even more? Not possible. I've been watching hockey for the last two years with no red line and it will certainly open up the NHL game.

Tuco.

Tuco · #25 08-14-2005, 04:27 AM

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The Canucks will be lucky to make the second round - Cloutier can't do it.

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Spoken like a true laffs fan. This is essentially the same team (minus two average D men) that won the division last season and took the Flames to overtime in game 7.

They are going to come in a few million under the cap, so they have flexibility to add a couple of expensive players (including a proven goalie) at the deadline.

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Leafs stay healthy (ha ha) they'll be tough to stop.

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Well, let see. The leafs lost (on home ice) in the second round last season. They were old and injury prone then and from that team they have lost Leetch, Nieuwendyk, Roberts, Mogilny and Francis.

They've added:

Jason Allison. The man has played 20 games in his last two full seasons and is generally known to be the softest player in the league. "Allison will miss tonites game with a hangnail."

Eric Lindros: I don't think anything needs to be said here. Nice pickup JFJ.

Jeff O'Neill. Actually a good move, but still only a second liner at best.

Alexander Khavanov. Average and quite slow. Not suited well for the new game.

Laffs at the cap already with 20 players signed. No flexibility to add a player when the current ones drop like flies.

What the hell was JFJ thinking? Not buying out Belfour at 4.5M? Owen Nolan at (cough) 5.6M? Ya I know its in dispute, but there is a real chance the laffs could lose it, why take the chance when you have the dough to throw around? Ken Klee (LOL) at 1.9M?

Well done JFJ.

Tuco.

Triumph36 · #26 08-14-2005, 11:19 AM

Ken Klee at 1.9 is a bargain. Malakhov signed for 3.6, Tverdovsky for 2.5, and Malik for 2.5. Klee is better than all three of them. The Leafs lost those players but they were all on the downsides of their careers. Since Nolan is unlikely to play, buying him out would make no sense, since his salary will not count against their cap. The Leafs have actually done quite well considering their cap problems, although they are once again adding injury-prone players. They should be in contention once again, but if Lindros, Allison, and O'Neill are healthy in the playoffs I'd be shocked. Also, O'Neill is not 'only a second liner at best'. He's had several thirty goal seasons in Carolina and at his best is clearly a first line player.

As for the redline, it will make it even worse. Teams will not pinch in with defenders knowing they'd be giving up a potential long pass, meaning that teams will not be keeping the puck down low as much. Where will the puck go? Further out towards the neutral zone. Play will end up here because both teams will be trying to prevent one another from making any long passes. The only thing that will prevent this from happening is that dumping the puck in will be easier with the new restrictions on interference.

So the NHL will eliminate long completed passes in favor of more dump ins. God bless the Law of Unintended Consequences.

Zurvan · #27 08-14-2005, 06:51 PM

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The Canucks will be lucky to make the second round - Cloutier can't do it.

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Spoken like a true laffs fan. This is essentially the same team (minus two average D men) that won the division last season and took the Flames to overtime in game 7.

They are going to come in a few million under the cap, so they have flexibility to add a couple of expensive players (including a proven goalie) at the deadline.

[ QUOTE ]
Leafs stay healthy (ha ha) they'll be tough to stop.

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Well, let see. The leafs lost (on home ice) in the second round last season. They were old and injury prone then and from that team they have lost Leetch, Nieuwendyk, Roberts, Mogilny and Francis.

They've added:

Jason Allison. The man has played 20 games in his last two full seasons and is generally known to be the softest player in the league. "Allison will miss tonites game with a hangnail."

Eric Lindros: I don't think anything needs to be said here. Nice pickup JFJ.

Jeff O'Neill. Actually a good move, but still only a second liner at best.

Alexander Khavanov. Average and quite slow. Not suited well for the new game.

Laffs at the cap already with 20 players signed. No flexibility to add a player when the current ones drop like flies.

What the hell was JFJ thinking? Not buying out Belfour at 4.5M? Owen Nolan at (cough) 5.6M? Ya I know its in dispute, but there is a real chance the laffs could lose it, why take the chance when you have the dough to throw around? Ken Klee (LOL) at 1.9M?

Well done JFJ.

Tuco.

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I'm thinking you didn't read my post. The Leafs are out in the second round, at best, realistically. If they stay somewhat healthy, and their players play to their potential (both big ifs on this team) they will be a fabulous team. I have my doubts about it.

Nolan didn't need to be bought out - his contract was up, according to the team's interpretation. IF the Leafs lose their arbitration case with him, they'll have to drop some cash, but it won't count against their cap ever. As for buying out Belfour, they would not be able to replace him with an equivalent goalie for the same price or less. He has one year left on his contract, they would've had to drop at least 5 mill on a good goalie, for several years.

I think Canucks fans are more delusional than Leafs fans. You keep telling me you have the same team, blah blah blah. I have news for you. Cloutier wasn't good enough two years ago, and he didn't get better.

If you think there will be any significant deals made at the trade deadline, you're smoking too much of that BC weed. If you want to know what the NHL trade deadline's going to be like, take a look at the NBA.

Lawrence Ng · #28 08-15-2005, 01:40 AM

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Early NHL predictions this year...

Who will go to the Stanley Cup finals? who will win it all?

I will make one early but safe prediction the worst team in the league will be...

The Capitals [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

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HAHAHAHAHHA... Please...

Lawrence

Lawrence Ng · #29 08-15-2005, 01:42 AM

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The Canucks will be lucky to make the second round - Cloutier can't do it.

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The Leafs will be lucky just to make 10th place in their conference. Who's your goalie again? Some old guy named Belfour right?

Lawrence

Lawrence Ng · #30 08-15-2005, 01:47 AM

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Taking the red line out will actually help defenses - offenses will be less likely to take chances with defensemen, and will jam the neutral zone even more to prevent long passes.

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This is wrong. Jam the neutral zone up even more? Not possible. I've been watching hockey for the last two years with no red line and it will certainly open up the NHL game.

Tuco.

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No red line = no neutral zone trap! Thank god for that. Talk about boring defense.

Lawrence