2025 NHL Playoffs

Johnny Abruzzo

Lerxst1992 said:

Johnny Abruzzo said:

There were always massive upsets - even without the dumb OT loss and shootouts and all that. It's just the nature of the sport.

Do you have any stats on that?

from my recollection, it was more difficult to knock out the top teams of the 70s era and earlier, by a massive amount. The Canadians, Bruins, Isles, Flyers, etc did not get upset in the first round iirc. Now it’s common.

Well the 1970s Flyers (the Bullies of course) generally didn't get upset early in the playoffs, but the 1975 team nearly blew a 3-0 series lead vs. the Islanders. The 1980s & 1990s Flyers (as everyone knows, post-1975, Cupless) were absolutely plagued by upsets - 1981, 1983, 1986, and of course 1996 against the dreadful Florida Panthers who's fans threw about 100,000 plastic rats on the ice. And oh yeah, the 1980 Stanley Cup Finals.

Also the 1980s Oilers were massively upset in 1982 and 1986 early in the playoffs. Pre-1970s there were only 6 teams so you can't really look for meaningful stats from then. Also Montreal literally had a monopoly on Quebec-born players, per my understanding. Not exactly a fair system.

Vitalogensia

Lerxst1992 said:

Johnny Abruzzo said:

There were always massive upsets - even without the dumb OT loss and shootouts and all that. It's just the nature of the sport.

Do you have any stats on that?

from my recollection, it was more difficult to knock out the top teams of the 70s era and earlier, by a massive amount. The Canadians, Bruins, Isles, Flyers, etc did not get upset in the first round iirc. Now it’s common.

Years ago I tried to do research on NHL playoff styles (I'd have to go back and update some stuff to see what's happened since 2020), and to me it looks like upsets have increased over time:

F Me In The Brain

I know you are not saying they are bad....but that would be my question.   Why would upsets be viewed as a bad thing?  Exciting.
Gotta be the best, at the right time, to win.

Vitalogensia

I think upsets are great in every sport.  That whole Miracle on Ice was pretty cool, as well as in the NCAA basketball tournaments. 

Wobbie

VGK-FLA should be a hell of a series. I hope FLA has cooled off.

Poncier

Panthers in 6.
Tkachuk Conn-Smythe winner.

eeriepadave

Vegas put a spanking on Dallas last night. Should be a good series especially if you like the nightlife in those two cities. I can see this series going at least six games, probably Florida's gonna win but i'd be ok if Vegas won.

mrussel1

eeriepadave said:

Vegas put a spanking on Dallas last night. Should be a good series especially if you like the nightlife in those two cities. I can see this series going at least six games, probably Florida's gonna win but i'd be ok if Vegas won.

Trust me, the nightlife in Sunrise FL is not very good.  You've got the mall in front of you and the Everglades behind you.  

Wobbie

mrussel1 said:

eeriepadave said:

Vegas put a spanking on Dallas last night. Should be a good series especially if you like the nightlife in those two cities. I can see this series going at least six games, probably Florida's gonna win but i'd be ok if Vegas won.

Trust me, the nightlife in Sunrise FL is not very good.  You've got the mall in front of you and the Everglades behind you.  

yeah, it ain’t south beach.

I love vegas’ depth. any line can hurt you.

F Me In The Brain

On paper Vegas wins this.  Gotta settle it on ice, though!

1ThoughtKnown

I haven’t been less interested in a Stanley Cup final since the horrible trap zone days. Think Dallas vs. New Jersey. 

mrussel1

1ThoughtKnown said:

I haven’t been less interested in a Stanley Cup final since the horrible trap zone days. Think Dallas vs. New Jersey. 

New Jersey, period, from that era.  

a5pj

Vegas in 5 or 6.
I think Bob cools off a bit, or at least touches above average goalieing

CROJAM95

Florida in 6
on a mission 

Jumb0

Vegas in 6. 

As a Predators fan this Panthers run gives me eerily similar vibes to the 2017 playoffs

F Me In The Brain

F Tkachuk.   Got what he deserved and hurt his team at the same time last night.  I can't stand that guy...no denying he is a good player but he is just such a prick.

Hawkshore

F Me In The Brain said:

F Tkachuk.   Got what he deserved and hurt his team at the same time last night.  I can't stand that guy...no denying he is a good player but he is just such a prick.

The apple doesn't fall from the tree with him, he has way better offensive skill than his old man but in terms of being a prick on the ice he is just like him

mrussel1

Hawkshore said:

F Me In The Brain said:

F Tkachuk.   Got what he deserved and hurt his team at the same time last night.  I can't stand that guy...no denying he is a good player but he is just such a prick.

The apple doesn't fall from the tree with him, he has way better offensive skill than his old man but in terms of being a prick on the ice he is just like him

No one can one-up the Lemieux family (Claude, not Mario).  

Wobbie

F Me In The Brain said:

F Tkachuk.   Got what he deserved and hurt his team at the same time last night.  I can't stand that guy...no denying he is a good player but he is just such a prick.

good to know. all I knew was he was a good player. as a VGK fan, I can now properly hate him.

it ain’t over yet, but I figured (hoped) bobrovsky might cool off over the layoff and it appears he did.

nautical_disaster

Now that was an old school Norris division hit! I love how both sides were like "yup good hit, keep your head up Eichel!" 

a5pj

nautical_disaster said:

Now that was an old school Norris division hit! I love how both sides were like "yup good hit, keep your head up Eichel!" 

Could have been so bad, he was able to turn his head just enough after the toe pick. Also Tkachuk didn't pull up at all when he saw him falling, nice guy

Wobbie

so fucking tired of hearing about tkachuk and seeing him doing the steph curry to his mouthpiece. hopefully, VGK ends this on tuesday.

eeriepadave

Wobbie said:

so fucking tired of hearing about tkachuk and seeing him doing the steph curry to his mouthpiece. hopefully, VGK ends this on tuesday.

Plus the end of last nights game the panthers fans were pretty obnoxious. Let's throw plastic bottles and plastic rats on the ice. Didn't the rat thing happen like 25-30 years ago? Get over it! Also I prefer their original jerseys to the current ones. I thought that one was pretty badass.

Wobbie

eeriepadave said:

Wobbie said:

so fucking tired of hearing about tkachuk and seeing him doing the steph curry to his mouthpiece. hopefully, VGK ends this on tuesday.

Plus the end of last nights game the panthers fans were pretty obnoxious. Let's throw plastic bottles and plastic rats on the ice. Didn't the rat thing happen like 25-30 years ago? Get over it! Also I prefer their original jerseys to the current ones. I thought that one was pretty badass.

the ones with the palm trees are atrocious. panthers fans had zero reason to be upset. it was only close because of a ridiculously lucky goal.

eeriepadave

Golden Knights game to lose.  they are kicking some bit and playing extremely well tonight.

mrussel1

eeriepadave said:

Golden Knights game to lose.  they are kicking some bit and playing extremely well tonight.

It's a pathetic effort by the Panthers.  Vegas is a solid team, not some all timer of a squad.  Panthers have just been awful.  

Hill has played great when he needed to though.

Wobbie

Fuck yeah!

South Florida was the center of the sports universe…until they weren’t.

and mrussell? They’re pretty fucking good. they steamrolled everyone. every line can beat you.

F Me In The Brain

Sucks to root for Vegas, but I just can't stand Tk.
Good for them, they earned it

Wobbie

mrussel1 said:

eeriepadave said:

Golden Knights game to lose.  they are kicking some bit and playing extremely well tonight.

Vegas is a solid team, not some all timer of a squad.  Panthers have just been awful.  

who are the “all timers”? are we talking teams with crosbys, ovechkins, gretzkys? obviously, any team with an all time talent is going to be memorable. I won’t argue vegas is in any way an all time squad….I seriously doubt they’ll win another cup with this squad….it’s just too hard and hockey can be so random….that said, they’re good.

#1 priority is to get rid of shitty goal tender and all around turd, robin lehner.

Poncier

Poncier said:

Panthers in 6.
Tkachuk Conn-Smythe winner.

Didn't nail this one.