I wouldn't bet on it. I throw him in there as an option if they can somehow get rid of Glass. If they did I bring Shepp back, if not Shepp is gone for sure. I like Shepp much better than Glass.
Funny thing is a player like Cally would be the perfect add for us, BUT we need that player around 3.5-4 mill +/- not 6 mill or a little more.
Ok i didnt read all the posts.. But you want another team that was always in the hunt, Detroit. Pittsburgh.. San Jose it can be done. Does it sick we didn't win game 7 against a pretty good team. Yes it sucks. But the team has a couple of months to recoup. One period away from back to back finals when after last year it was don't know if they could do it again... They are professionals they can gear it up again.
Detroit, Pitt, and SJ? Really? Pitt has been to one ECF since their cup in 09. Detroit hasn't sniffed the 3rd round in years (out in the 1st round the past 2 years). And the Sharks fail early in the playoffs year after year (3 of the past 4 years out in the 1st round or did not make the playoffs this season...the other season out in the 2nd round). Not sure what you talking about Al. Being a solid regular season team and making the playoffs? I thought we were talking about making long playoff runs, not getting in and losing early. That's what I was talking about, making long playoff runs year after year. And AGAIN strud it is the Hawks...that is the ONE team. They are also different than us, and I am not listing the same things I already listed about them, but you certainly can say the Hawks 15 more time if you'd like...LOL.
No one is saying we cannot make a run again next season, but if you guys don't think it is damn hard to do it season after season while not getting over the hump I simply disagree with you guys, and recent history shows that. Outside of the Hawks which teams have made these deep playoff runs year after year after year? We have been to 3 ECF's in 4 seasons. We have been to an SCF. We have not gotten over the hump. It is not easy to keep making the runs year after year. The Pens are actually the perfect example of how hard it is. Almost every year, outside of this year, they are favs yet they haven't done sh*t in the playoffs in years. It is not easy man, and when you play all these extra games as we have for 4 years now, it wears on you...especially when you don't win it all.
I'll tell you one thing, watching us get whipped and seeing the Ducks getting whipped really shows you how important home ice is. All the people talking about how important home ice was and how important the Pres trophy was should sleep well tonight...LOL.
That's just an example Chuck to whiners saying that they'll be burned out next season k. I get it man it's the Hawks but it can be done
They'll be right in the thick of it next year. A full year of Yandle plus a bigger forward to replace Marty will solidify a playoff spot. Heck they had 100 pts this year with Talbot playing 30 games. Comes down to getting it done all the way through. This year they couldn't but still got pretty darn far.
Right, that's the one team in the whole NHL that has done it strud. If one team out of 30 has done it yes I think it is pretty easy to do...LOL. Let's also forget the fact that one team has won two cups to give them strength and focus during those tough days...we have not. Let's also forget that team is loaded with high end talent, and we are not. We are deeper with a star goalie, so built way differently. But yes ONE team has done it, a way different team than us, so I guess that means it should be pretty simple. To me this is where we go down bad roads as a board and get into dumb battles. No one is saying they cannot do it. I didn't say it...Mess didn't say it. What we are saying is make no mistake about it, all these long runs (especially with no SC) can catchup with you. We have played so many extra games the past few seasons. We have had so much more grind and wear and tear the past few seasons. On top of that mentally getting so close and not winning it weighs on you (a difference from the ONE team that has done it). Please don't try to act as if that isn't a least some concern next season, because it clearly is. Especially after this season when we were so good in the regular season. Won the Pres trophy. Had such an amazing run from mid December on. Were the team a lot of people were picking to win the SC this season. Change the ending...and when you don't even make it back to the SCF, that weighs on you. You mentioning the Hawks as the team over and over again actually proves the point we are making, it is darn tough to do it year after year in todays NHL. What we have done the past 4 playoffs has been real special (3 ECF's and 1 SCF). I won't sit here and say we cannot do it again, but anyone who sits here and thinks it isn't a factor is kidding themselves IMO. There is a reason only one team has had these long runs year after year...it is not easy and it clearly wears on you physically and mentally (especially when you don't actually win the cup as we haven't).
That part of it is pretty much fact. My OPINION is we aren't going to have nearly as good of a regular season next year. This year we struggled until mid December, next season I think it will be a struggle for longer. I will say right now we don't win the divison. Maybe 3rd in the Met or a WC, could be 2nd, but I will say we won't win the Met next season. That's my opinion and clearly I could be wrong about that part of it. I do think we also clearly have the talent to win it all. We will make some more tweaks this summer. Upgrade from MSL in the top 9, hopefully with a firery right hand shot. The young guys will grow another year, CK/JT/KH. Hopefully McD will be healthy the whole season and get to the next level we all thought he could/would this season. So on paper I love our team. I just think it will be tough to recharge the batteries and energize through a lot of the regular season after the past two seasons. And that's okay. We all see winning the Pres trophy doesn't mean sh*t. Home ice doesn't mean much. Just get in and go from there. The rest doesn't mean much IMO.
You were all down last year saying it will be so hard for the losing team to get back to the finals.. Guess what they had a club record for wins in a season. One period away from back to back finals. One breath your talking about missing the playoffs the next is we are Justin Williams away... So much will happen in a off season and regular season that any posts or comments on June 1st is as good as me predicting a rangers win
Ask any coach in ANY league would you prefer to be home or away for a deciding game 7....yeah winning home ice means nothing. 7and1 in game sevens... One failure and it means shit now
Wait...what? I didn't say we'd miss the playoffs. I did say we won't have nearly as good of a regular season next year IMO. I did say we won't win the division next season in my opinion. I think we'll get in lower, and go from there, and I am fine with that. We simply have way too much talent not to get in, unless we have a ton of injuries. You seem to be focused on the regular season (Pitt, Det, SJ) and I am not at all. I am focused on the playoffs and making another long run for the 4th time in 5 playoff seasons, and that is not common. It is very rare these days that teams can do that year after year given the parody, all the extra games, all the wear and tear. Doesn't mean we can't, just means it is going to be real tough IMO. Home ice doesn't mean much Al. You can convince yourself it does, all good, but it doesn't man. TB no home ice rounds 2 and 3...in the SCF. Hawks no home ice in rounds 1 and 3...in the SCF. We didn't have home ice in rounds 2 and 3 last season...made the SCF. The Kings didn't have home ice in rounds 1-3...won the SC. The Kings won the cup as an 8 seed a few years ago, which means no home ice in any round. So no home ice doesn't mean much Al. We agree to disagee here. You go all out to get home ice, and I will be fine with getting in and going from there. Personally, I much rather open on the road games 1 & 2. Even if I had home ice if I could choose I would start on the road. Game 7 usually gives you an edge to be home, but these days in the NHL that isn't even a big edge. Last season I think we were the only home team to win a game 7 when we beat Philly. We just saw two road teams win game 7's in the CF's. So no I don't think home ice matters much at all. Now that's not to say there aren't certain series where it is a big plus to have home ice, see our series against Philly last season where I said going in home ice would be huge in that series, but overall series in and series out I just don't think it matters much at all. And it certainly isn't something I would get overly concerned about getting at the expense of some rest if needed in the last couple of games.
Lol Chuck we can always count on you to hear the greatest story ever told.....see DET, NJ!!!, PITT, BOS on teams returning to the Cup or CF after the SCF season or the season after that Do I think they can make it next year, hell yes, do I think they can get bounced in the first round, hell yes
And BTW...if we got home ice that is fine also, I am just saying I don't think it is a huge deal either way make or break the series. We have won a ton of big road playoff games the past few seasons for sure. And we have also won some big game 7's at home as well. Like I said not a huge deal either way IMO. And I 100% much rather start on the road, that is a total no brainer to me. The % of NHL series that start 1-1 are so high, why wouldn't I want to start on the road.
In the past 6 or 7 years how many teams have made it to the CF's at least more than 2 straight seasons? The Hawks. How many teams have done it 4 of 5 years? Maybe none, and that is what we will be trying to do next season. Wonder when the last time a team made the CF's at least 4 of 5 seasons...I bet it has been a long while outside of maybe the Hawks. That's it...end of story. Not much else I need to say. The facts speak for themself I believe. Yes we can make it there again. Yes we can lose in round 1. Anything can happen of course, but just understand what we will be attempting to do next season is beyond very rare in the NHL these days. Not easy to make these long runs year after year. One bounce, one injury, one bad break, wear and tear, a lot of things can derail the run. Like I said though, if there is a team that can do it I believe we have a shot because we are mentally tough. So I wouldn't bet against us (I wouldn't bet on us either), but I do know it will be very tough to do and we would be doing something that doesn't happen in the NHL these days.
I just took a look at the CF teams. Since the Pens went back to back in 09, no team has gone to even back to back ECF's outside of us. Now we are trying to go 4 of 5 years next season. Since the Wings went back to back in 09, the Sharks went to two straight losing both in 10 and 11. The Kings went to 3 straight ending this season. The Hawks have gone to 3 straight. Point is it's very rare going 4 times in 5 seasons to the CF's. Doesn't mean we cannot do it as every season is new and every team starts 0-0, but please don't dismiss the fact that we are going into very rare territory if we make another long run next season...like since the 88-92 Boston rare territory in the East (and they lost their last two ECF trips in 91 & 92...and didn't win a cup in that run) and late 90's rare territory in the West with Colorado and Detroit. Doable yes as we have the talent, but very rare and %'s are against us.
Home ice is nice to have but not the main thing as I think having a healthy team come playoff time is much the more important element especially considering a team like ours can win anywhere at anytime.
