2014-2015 NHL Season and 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs

celticdb15

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The level of skill and athleticism, not to mention toughness, is truly awesome. And almost 100% white. The MSM always tries to downplay the NHL, while attempting to prop up "black" sports like the NBA simply because of this fact. Then the DWFs always trot out the line that "all of the best black athletes play football, basketball, run track". In Canada and the inner cities in the northern US, blacks are encouraged and subsidized to play hockey. They either are not good/athletic enough (gasp!) or they don't have the mental toughness to learn. No other lame excuses.

+1
 

Don Wassall

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The damn Rangers are like ****roaches, they just can't be killed off lol. Should be a great Game 7 Friday night in MSG.
 

celticdb15

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Getting ready to watch Blackhawks vs Ducks. Should be a good one.
 

Don Wassall

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Blackhawks-Lightning final. Hope it's as good as or better than the two conference finals were.

I think the Blackhawks' experience and overall talent will prevail. They have so many talented forwards, d-man Duncan Keith was special against Anaheim, and Corey Crawford seems to almost always rise to the occasion. But it sucks that the NHL playoffs are almost over. The good news is that the new season is only a few months away.
 

Don Wassall

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They both have all their key players healthy as far as I know, and both just went through very tough 7 game conference finals.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are as grueling as it gets, and it seems at times as if luck plays a big role in which teams advance and which don't because the games are usually so close scoring wise, but the beauty of the NHL playoffs is that the better team -- and the one that wants it more and is willing to pay the price through four best of seven series to prevail -- that ends up hoisting the Stanley Cup will have earned it in every sense of the word.
 

Ambrose

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They both have all their key players healthy as far as I know, and both just went through very tough 7 game conference finals.

The Stanley Cup playoffs are as grueling as it gets, and it seems at times as if luck plays a big role in which teams advance and which don't because the games are usually so close scoring wise, but the beauty of the NHL playoffs is that the better team -- and the one that wants it more and is willing to pay the price through four best of seven series to prevail -- that ends up hoisting the Stanley Cup will have earned it in every sense of the word.[/QUOTE

If playing in Tampa helps the Ducks, Anaheim has the home ice advantage. But Chicago has 2 of the last 5 and may be ravenous enough to have the iron grip. I'll take the Hawks in 7.
 

Matra2

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Much maligned Maple Leaf Phil Kessel has been traded to the Penguins. He's a good player but the Leafs incorrectly thought they could build a team around him. The knock against him is that he is lazy both on and off the ice - he's always overweight at the start of each season and he does little to help out his defence. He'll probably fit in well in Pittsburgh:biggrin1:. Oh, and he's also got a reputation as a coach killer.

Another thing about him going to Pittsburgh is the media attention won't be anywhere near as bad as in Canada's largest city. He is just awful with the media, taking everything personally that is said about him to the point where it clearly affected his on ice performance. This past year he went on a particularly bad slump after a very public bust-up with a local reporter. In Pittsburgh he won't have the pressure of carrying the team as the Pens (and their media) already have Crosby and Malkin to focus on.
 

Don Wassall

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Most Penguins fans are very happy with the trade. The only downside is that they traded yet another first round draft pick as part of the deal. They're still trying to win now while Crosby and Malkin are still in their peak years, though both may already be in the early stages of decline going by this most recent season.

In a few years the team will likely be a bottom feeder, which is nothing new in their history, but for now they seem recharged by obtaining Kessel as the lack of quality wings on the top two lines has really hurt the past few seasons. If they can stay healthy for once they should be a contender again following this season's disaster.
 

Matra2

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RIP Al Arbour

The former player who coached the NY Islanders to four consecutive Stanley Cups (and a great run in 1993) has passed away.

As an immigrant to Canada I was introduced to hockey in the early 80s watching the Islanders when they beating all comers. That was my all time favourite hockey team.

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