2016 NHL playoff thread

[NavinRJohnson]

I do think the NHL needs to change the playoff seeding to more of a straight 1-8. Obviously you eventually have to beat the good teams to advance, but Blackhawks v. Blues should not have been a first round series. Those were two of the best teams in the league (I do think the Blues are/were the better team), and now one is out. Same could be said of the Kings, Panthers, Rangers (respectively anyway)...Obviously seeds don't always hold, but current system just seems to water down the later rounds.

[jsglow]

Got outplayed last night.  Congratulations to the Blues.  They earned it.  Had Crow not been unbelievable it wouldn't have been a one goal margin.

[NavinRJohnson]

Got outplayed last night.  Congratulations to the Blues.  They earned it.  Had Crow not been unbelievable it wouldn't have been a one goal margin.

Agreed. Just beat by a better team. That second period was coconuts.

I think they will be ok next year relative to their trouble scoring outside the top line. Panrin, Teravainen, etc. are still quite young, so I suspect they will be able to offer more through the entire season next year.  They have GOT TO find  way to add some depth at defenseman though. It almost cost them last year, and it did cost them this year.

[jsglow]

Agreed. Just beat by a better team. That second period was coconuts.

I think they will be ok next year relative to their trouble scoring outside the top line. Panrin, Teravainen, etc. are still quite young, so I suspect they will be able to offer more through the entire season next year.  They have GOT TO find  way to add some depth at defenseman though. It almost cost them last year, and it did cost them this year.

Agree with all your points.  Will add one.  Playing until the 4th of July has a way of taking a little from your legs the next year.  A little tweak and they're still a championship team.

[SaintPaulWarrior]

http://www.letsgohawks.net/2016/06/20/report-teravainens-work-ethic-led-to-trade/

[rocket surgeon]

ok, not about playoffs, but re: NHL-their 31st team-las vegas

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/16429478/nhl-officially-approves-las-vegas-31st-franchise


 question?  why 31 teams?  i know they may be considering putting a team back in quebec, but otherwise, you mean toi tell me that all the other 30 teams are doing really well?  why not just muscle one the teams from a poorly performing market and relocate them to vegas?  right off hand, i'm not familiar enough with the league as a whole and which team that might be-just wondering

[Coleman]

ok, not about playoffs, but re: NHL-their 31st team-las vegas

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/16429478/nhl-officially-approves-las-vegas-31st-franchise


 question?  why 31 teams?  i know they may be considering putting a team back in quebec, but otherwise, you mean toi tell me that all the other 30 teams are doing really well?  why not just muscle one the teams from a poorly performing market and relocate them to vegas?  right off hand, i'm not familiar enough with the league as a whole and which team that might be-just wondering

Florida Panthers come to mind as a relocation candidate. But I think they will move to 32 teams soon. And probably Quebec.

[Brewtown Andy]

Florida Panthers come to mind as a relocation candidate. But I think they will move to 32 teams soon. And probably Quebec.

Quebec City is the ideal landing spot for a relocation.

Putting a team in Vegas makes new fans of hockey, even more so when you give them a brand new team that's just for them.  Putting a team in Quebec City, new team or relocated team, makes absolutely zero new fans of hockey.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

Florida Panthers come to mind as a relocation candidate. But I think they will move to 32 teams soon. And probably Quebec.

And Arizona & Carolina

[GGGG]

Quebec City is the ideal landing spot for a relocation.

Putting a team in Vegas makes new fans of hockey, even more so when you give them a brand new team that's just for them.  Putting a team in Quebec City, new team or relocated team, makes absolutely zero new fans of hockey.

The biggest relocation candidates happen to be in the places where they have tried "making new fans of hockey."  That pretty much signifies that the effort has been mixed at best.

The biggest problem with Quebec is the weak Canadian dollar and that its a meager television market.

[JWags85]

The biggest relocation candidates happen to be in the places where they have tried "making new fans of hockey."  That pretty much signifies that the effort has been mixed at best.

The biggest problem with Quebec is the weak Canadian dollar and that its a meager television market.

Thats gonna be the trouble with QC.  Rabid fanbase to be sure, and a beautiful new arena, but a market that is very small.  I forgot the comparable US market, but its one that wouldn't appeal if that was what was being proposed. 

[GGGG]

Thats gonna be the trouble with QC.  Rabid fanbase to be sure, and a beautiful new arena, but a market that is very small.  I forgot the comparable US market, but its one that wouldn't appeal if that was what was being proposed. 

Quebec City is about 55% the size of the Milwaukee market.  (Las Vegas is smaller than Milwaukee too.  But they won't have competition from the NBA.)

[Coleman]

Thats gonna be the trouble with QC.  Rabid fanbase to be sure, and a beautiful new arena, but a market that is very small.  I forgot the comparable US market, but its one that wouldn't appeal if that was what was being proposed.

Quebec City itself is about the size of Milwaukee. However, the metro is pretty small. the city is 80% of the metro population...its about the size of the Omaha metro.

But comparing to US metros is apples to oranges. Canada is hockey crazy. It doesn't compete with other sports the way that US markets do.

[JWags85]

Quebec City itself is a decent size city, about the size of Seattle or Denver. However, the metro is pretty small. the city is 80% of the metro population...its about the size of the Omaha metro.

But comparing to US metros is apples to oranges. Canada is hockey crazy. It doesn't compete with other sports the way that US markets do.

I was seeing a metro of 800K which is more like the size of the Madison or Des Moines metro.