NHL Thread: RIP Matthew Wuest of Capgeek

[Deleted]

Oct 7, 2014 14:55:54 GMT -5 bluemeii said:

Oct 7, 2014 9:31:32 GMT -5 @jdogindy said:

Looks like the ECHL/Central Hockey League emergency merger is final.

www.si.com/nhl/2014/10/06/source-echl-chl-merger-be-confirmed-next-week

Which team/teams won't have a presence in the "AA" league that's left. Or will it be 2 NHL teams sharing an affiliate?

As a person who follows minor league hockey, and one who realizes we may have two 34-team minor leagues by the end of the decade, I know the answer.

Sometimes, a few of the ECHL clubs, like Fort Wayne & Colorado, were independent, but two of the 28 ECHL teams will share two NHL teams, as far as I know.

You know... I'd sacrifice four Kalamazoo & three Cincinnati games to have the Fuel play the CHL teams, but if they take away any of the Fort Wayne or Evansville games, I'll be pissed.

Tomorrow's opening night, and I got my Hurricanes as a top 5 lottery contender. In other words, a long-ass season.

[Unocal 76]

My 2015 Stanley Cup Finals prediction:

Tampa Bay-Colorado

[triplethreatmark]

Oct 7, 2014 15:27:37 GMT -5 @jdogindy said:

Oct 7, 2014 14:55:54 GMT -5 bluemeii said:

Which team/teams won't have a presence in the "AA" league that's left. Or will it be 2 NHL teams sharing an affiliate?

As a person who follows minor league hockey, and one who realizes we may have two 34-team minor leagues by the end of the decade, I know the answer.

Sometimes, a few of the ECHL clubs, like Fort Wayne & Colorado, were independent, but two of the 28 ECHL teams will share two NHL teams, as far as I know.

You know... I'd sacrifice four Kalamazoo & three Cincinnati games to have the Fuel play the CHL teams, but if they take away any of the Fort Wayne or Evansville games, I'll be pissed.

Tomorrow's opening night, and I got my Hurricanes as a top 5 lottery contender. In other words, a long-ass season.

Yes, but there might be a Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel in it for you.

[Deleted]

NHL PREDICTIONS

East
Atlantic: Bruins, Lightning, Canadiens
Metro: Penguins, Rangers, Blue Jackets
Wild Cards: Red Wings, Islanders

Penguins over Islanders
Rangers over Blue Jackets
Bruins over Red Wings
Lightning over Canadiens

Rangers over Penguins
Lightning over Bruins

Rangers over Lightning

West
Central: Blackhawks, Blues, Avalanche
Pacific: Sharks, Kings, Ducks
Wild Cards: Coyotes, Stars

Blackhawks over Stars
Blues over Avalanche
Sharks over Coyotes
Kings over Ducks

Blues over Blackhawks
Kings over Sharks

Blues over Kings

Stanley Cup: Rangers over Blues

[Deleted]

I'm guessing Blackhawks over Tampa for the cup finals.

[triplethreatmark]

Hockey is unpredictable and as such, so is the NHL season. However, I'd really, really, REEEEAAAALLLYYYYY love if the Kings won the Cup again.

[Urethra Franklin]

(Bold) Prediction time!

Eastern Conference:

Atlantic: (#1) Bruins, (#3) Lightning, (#4) Habs, (#7) Leafs, Red Wings, Senators, Panthers and Sabres

Metropolitan (#2) Penguins, (#5) Blue Jackets, (#6) Rangers, (#8) Islanders, Flyers, Devils, Capitals and Hurricanes

Western Conference:

Central: (#1) Blues, (#3) Blackhawks, (#4) Stars, (#6) Wild, Predators, Avalanche and Jets

Pacific: (#2) Kings, (#5) Ducks, (#7) Canucks, (#8) Sharks, Coyotes, Oilers and Flames

Stanley Cup: Blackhawks over Lightning

Look for the Avalanche to regress mightily this season. They are last year's Leafs. High PDO and bad possession numbers bode very poorly going forward.

[Unocal 76]

Possession and PDO are so overrated.

You know who had great such numbers last year? The dumpster fire Canucks and punchless Devils.

I believe in speed, skill, and shooting, not whether some doofus controls the puck that may not even lead to a shot.

[Steveweiser]

This season should be fun. Going to see the Blackhawks live for the first time in two weeks when they play the Flyers in the 2010 rematch.

[bluemeii]

Woohoo Opening day.....<looks at schedule and sees Isles don't play till Friday>....well shit.

Looking forward to the season as it actually looks like they could be a playoff team this year. Can't wait till next year when they are a short train ride away from me instead of a whole god damn island. Might have to get me one of those 10-15 game packs when they go on sale.

Anyway, good luck to everyone and their teams this year.

Completely nonsensical picks for the year

Conf Finals :
Bruins over Blue Jackets
Blues over Wild

Stanley Cup :
Blues over Bruins in 7 tight games.

[The Captain]

Let's go Devils!

[Deleted]

Oct 7, 2014 20:35:46 GMT -5 triplethreatmark said:

Oct 7, 2014 15:27:37 GMT -5 @jdogindy said:

As a person who follows minor league hockey, and one who realizes we may have two 34-team minor leagues by the end of the decade, I know the answer.

Sometimes, a few of the ECHL clubs, like Fort Wayne & Colorado, were independent, but two of the 28 ECHL teams will share two NHL teams, as far as I know.

You know... I'd sacrifice four Kalamazoo & three Cincinnati games to have the Fuel play the CHL teams, but if they take away any of the Fort Wayne or Evansville games, I'll be pissed.

Tomorrow's opening night, and I got my Hurricanes as a top 5 lottery contender. In other words, a long-ass season.

Yes, but there might be a Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel in it for you.

That'll be so worth it. The previous regime's attempts at rebuilding failed, so it'll be a huge boost for Ron Francis if they luck out with either guy (I prefer McDavid, though).

Besides, my Indy Fuel played their first preseason game last night in Alaska, and beat the Kelly Cup champions, 3-1. I already have a good feeling about them, and am interested in seeing how the CHL teams will factor into the league this season.

[BR329]

Don't know what to think about my Flyers this year. I'm just hoping we make the playoffs. As for Stanley Cup predictions? I've got Anaheim over Tampa in 6 games.

[Ben Wyatt]

Cup finals prediction: Bruins/Kings

[fw91]

Don't expect the Rangers to repeat last year's postseason success, but I'm really excited about Anthony Duclair

[Steveweiser]

I think it'll be a 2013 rematch in 2015.

[Steveweiser]

Got Gamecenter Live set up for the PS3 this season - I have a lot more free time this year (with some luck), so I'm gonna attempt to be more involved throughout the season.

[Unocal 76]

This is gonna be the first normal NHL season in 3 years. 2 years ago- shortened. Last year- Olympic break. THE NHL ALL-STAR GAME IS BACK!

[fw91]

Oct 8, 2014 15:13:53 GMT -5 Unocal 76 said:

This is gonna be the first normal NHL season in 3 years. 2 years ago- shortened. Last year- Olympic break. THE NHL ALL-STAR GAME IS BACK!

its in Columbus. Don't know if that'll influence fan voting for the All Star captains. "Team Hartnell" doesn't have that good of a ring to it.

[triplethreatmark]

Oct 8, 2014 15:20:01 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Oct 8, 2014 15:13:53 GMT -5 Unocal 76 said:

This is gonna be the first normal NHL season in 3 years. 2 years ago- shortened. Last year- Olympic break. THE NHL ALL-STAR GAME IS BACK!

its in Columbus. Don't know if that'll influence fan voting for the All Star captains. "Team Hartnell" doesn't have that good of a ring to it.

If they really want to go back to "the roots" of hockey by having people chosen for the teams, then Team Fartsmell vs. Team Cindy will truly be a nostalgia trip to when all these players were 11.