Hockey is coming back!

I think the crowd noise is now also being piped to the players. They complained that it was weird playing without that sound. So, I don’t think there would be a way to avoid it and still have the game sounds.

Nope, not trades. Panarin, Duchene, and Bob were all free agents. The CBJ brought in Duchene at the trade deadline last year. Management did not make an effort to sign Duchene. The extra draft pick they would have lost if he had been signed was too much, although Duchene really wanted to go to Nashville.

Bob is a longer story. But basically the CBJ did not want to saddle themselves with a goalie for eight years at the money he wanted. Besides most people don’t realize it but the CBJ have four top goaltenders/prospects. See the just finished series. Panarin just wanted to go to New York.

I think the CBJ need another playmaker, and there might be one in their system. At the end of the day, those guys are done and the Jackets keep playing.

Ah, right. Thanks for the correction.

Those high fliers being out must feel pretty sweet for the Blue Jackets, especially Panarin who made his dislike of the city of Columbus pretty well known.

Yeah, 7 games is too much in most years, but it won’t change since that is when the owners make their money.

But given the unique situation this year the NHL really could have tried something different. I’d still like to see something like a four game total goals series.

538 says that you need something best of 51 games for the better team to end up on top 80% of the time, because hockey is so random. Compare that to the NBA where best of seven is sufficient.

But with its randomness, hockey stands out for its opportunities to surprise. Research by Michael J. Lopez, Gregory J. Matthews and Benjamin S. Baumer found that, on average, the better NBA team in a best-of-7 series advances 80 percent of the time. To match that rate, the NHL would require a best-of-51 series.

From: Apparently The Regular Season Is Irrelevant In The NHL | FiveThirtyEight

It’s the Toronto Maple Leafs. It is never amazing when they lose. It’s how the universe works.

Right. Usually, it goes “Hey, it’s spring and the Leafs are out!”, but that doesn’t work this year.

One nice thing about the new board software is coming back to the last post you read. That makes starting new threads - like the old monthly discussions - less important but do we want a playoff thread?

I’d be happy to contribute and discuss the inevitable Islanders/Blackhawks final.

For today’s 1st game in playoffs, the second game ends before the first game (starting 4 OT !!)

What a game. End in 5 OT. Bruins and Canes have to play at 11 am tomorrow, due to only two rinks being used.

Indeed, I caught a bit of it before the Stars game started, and watched it wrap up after it had finished. Both teams still looked like they had a lot of energy for having played that long.

So, who won? It’s not on Google yet.

Hehehee, Tampa won.

I dunno. At random of 4th OT, it was all passing to clear their own zone, not skating it out, mainly cause they changed lines so often! These guys must all be snowblind or iceblind at this point. LOVE playoff hockey. Best playoff there is.

Funny comments from NHL peeps.

Retire, Milbury.

Just to save me some Googling, what did he say or do?

Somehow, amazingly, the Isles just came back from a 2 goal deficit to beat the Caps 4-2!

Pardon that this is cite-less, but over the years Milsy’s racked up more douchebaggy insights than Skip Bayless, like calling Washington the Crapitals, or “If you’re going to slash him, break a bone. If you’re going to hit him from behind, give him a slight concussion.” (even if said out of flustered sarcasm - still - no, Mike, NO), or his recent warm words for Jake Muzzin, injured, down on the ice: “Not a bad idea to stay down and get a whistle too, by the way.” (Had the series gone on, Muzzin wouldn’t have been able to play.)
I could reeeeeaaally really go on, but you get the idea. A different grossness from Hawt Pierre McGuire, - just plain grossness all around.
Why can’t Jim Hughson, do, like, every single game, ever, ever.