NHL Thread

[BoMac]

http://brobible.com/sports/article/b...-phenomenal/2/

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[LemonMelon]

Series kicked ass. The same combination of depressing and exciting as the 2014 Kings series.

Rooting for the Caps and Sharks now. They're the only other teams I have any connection to. I lived in MD for 16 years and San Jose for 3. I've had ample opportunity to become a fan of either, but I didn't care about hockey until I moved to the midwest.

[elevated_u2_fan]

Holy.fucking.shit

It actually happened!!!!!!!

[LuckyNumber7]

It's so fixed lol. Not that last place doesn't deserve it, but boy do things seem to work out in favor of "save franchise X." Who can forget the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes.

[DaveC]

if that were the case surely Connor McDavid would be a Toronto Maple Leaf right now.

[LuckyNumber7]

Nah. Edmonton needed a sixth do-over.

[BoMac]

Since 1984 (Mario Lemieux), five of the 31 No. 1 overall selections have won a Stanley Cup:

Joe Murphy
Vincent Lecavalier
Marc-Andre Fleury
Sidney Crosby
Patrick Kane (3)

And since Crosby and Fleury were on the same team, that makes 6 Stanley Cup wins.

So I think some perspective is needed, which is what I'd also be saying if Montreal had won the lottery.

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[LuckyNumber7]

Originally Posted by BoMac

Since 1984 (Mario Lemieux), five of the 31 No. 1 overall selections have won a Stanley Cup:

Joe Murphy
Vincent Lecavalier
Marc-Andre Fleury
Sidney Crosby
Patrick Kane (3)

And since Crosby and Fleury were on the same team, that makes 6 Stanley Cup wins.

So I think some perspective is needed, which is what I'd also be saying if Montreal had won the lottery.

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Not sure what you're trying to say, but since that very same 1984, only 17 franchises have picked 1st overall.

Most notably:

Edmonton (4)
Quebec/Colorado (4)
Pittsburgh (3)
Tampa Bay (3)

But have you considered that only 13 teams have won the Stanley Cup in that very same timeframe?

If you're questioning the value of the 1st overall pick, I think you're wrong. Go and measure the boost each franchise got, from either trading the pick or trading the player they picked. Getting the 1st overall has tremendous value, but one single player will hardly ever be great enough to make you a Stanley cup team. That's a team thing. Ovechkin hasn't won a cup, but does that undermine the value of him being picked first overall? He's the most prolific goal scorer since like, Brett Hull. Or perhaps, the still active but ever so old Jaromir Jagr. Mario Lemieux. But just in terms of pure goal scoring. A real legend being born in this dead puck of an era. Who would the capitals be without that pick?

Yeah, the first overall busts sometimes it doesn't live up to its hope, but trying to measure its value in Stanley cups isn't going to tell the whole story.

[LuckyNumber7]

Excuse me for getting carried away with the Ovechkin thing. I know you know he's a great player.

[BoMac]

I take your point, and I agree, you can look at No. 1 picks in different ways.

I just think some automatically equate a No. 1 pick with future success, and that's not always the case.

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[LuckyNumber7]

I mean you can always Florida it.

You know, be the team who should've had Vincent Lecavalier, Eric Staal, and Rick Nash... but instead ended up with nothing, Nathan Horton, and Jay Bouwmeester.

Well, that's just the sad argument of don't trade a lottery pick before the dice have been rolled/pick best player available and don't trade the 1st overall to move down for a positional pick.

Definitely the first overall doesn't always mean success. Look at Alexander Daigle. Patrick Stefan. Hell, even Chris Phillips, who had a decent lasting career in his own right. MAF isn't even that great.

Something definitely to note is that the drop off from 1 to 3, on average, is much higher than the drop off from 3 to 1 on years where the 1 overall isn't that great.

[elevated_u2_fan]

Originally Posted by BoMac

So I think some perspective is needed, which is what I'd also be saying if Montreal had won the lottery.

Riiiiight....

[elevated_u2_fan]

aaaand it begins, slower than expected but from a Montreal paper, of course...

http://montrealgazette.com/sports/ja...ering-over-nhl

[LuckyNumber7]

I haven't trusted the NHL since the Sidney Crosby sweepstakes. But I don't think they accept bribes. I just think they lobby picks to support the success of failing franchises.

[BoMac]

If the lottery was rigged in Toronto's favour, you'd think the NHL would have done it last year.

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[LuckyNumber7]

Like I said. Edmonton needed another do over

[PhilsFan]

Yeah, there is no way in hell they rig the lotteries, and Edmonton is the proof.

[Hewson]

So the team with the best chance at the top pick gets the top pick and a Montreal scribe says its rigged?

[LuckyNumber7]

Remember that NHL thing? Still going on.


In other news, Panthers and Canucks trade yet again. Buddy buddy. Panthers fleece the Canucks in value, but the Canucks are the ones coming away not looking like fools. They add a useful defender. Florida adds Vancouver's top prospect C on a team that already has 3 scoring like centers and a 4C.

Which probably means we won't keep McCann or we will trade Bjugstad.

[PhilsFan]

Yup, I've been watching. My Pittsburgh fan friend is terrified of tonight.