NHL 2022-23: PERIOD 3

[odessasteps]

I presume most of these weird years either came after expansion or rule changes, regardless of which sport. 

[Tabe]

5 hours ago, odessasteps said:

I presume most of these weird years either came after expansion or rule changes, regardless of which sport. 

In the case of 88/89 NHL and 1968 MLB, no rule changes or expansion. 

[Tabe]

14 hours ago, Brian Fowler said:

Also congrats to the Bruins. May winning 62 (or more) work out better for you than it did the Red Wings.

I hope it doesn't. Can't stand Boston. Love Bergeron & Pasta but... 

Also, no President's Trophy winner with 119+ points has ever won the Cup. 

[odessasteps]

27 minutes ago, Tabe said:

In the case of 88/89 NHL and 1968 MLB, no rule changes or expansion. 

Was 1968 the last year of the higher mound? Or was that there before?

[elizium]

68 was the last year at 15 inches, it was raised to that in the 50s. The strike zone was increased in 1963, which I think is what really led to the late 60s pitching dominance. When they lowered the mounds in 69, they also reverted the strike zone back to its previous dimensions

[Tabe]

7 hours ago, odessasteps said:

Was 1968 the last year of the higher mound? Or was that there before?

Yeah, 68 was the last year. It was the reason for the lowered mound. 

[Tabe]

6 hours ago, elizium said:

68 was the last year at 15 inches, it was raised to that in the 50s. The strike zone was increased in 1963, which I think is what really led to the late 60s pitching dominance. When they lowered the mounds in 69, they also reverted the strike zone back to its previous dimensions

Tabe says the quiet part out loud: it's not a coincidence that Sandy Koufax only became SANDY KOUFAX when the NL expanded and they increased the size of the zone (and opened Dodger Stadium...) 

[Travis Sheldon]

25 minutes ago, Tabe said:

Tabe says the quiet part out loud: it's not a coincidence that Sandy Koufax only became SANDY KOUFAX when the NL expanded and they increased the size of the zone (and opened Dodger Stadium...) 

Use your aggressive feelings, boy. 

Let the hate flow through you. 

- The Emperor (Return of the Jedi) 

*Waitaminnit, what are we doing in the NHL thread? 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Travis Sheldon
Befuddled

[Tabe]

10 minutes ago, Travis Sheldon said:

Use your aggressive feelings, boy. 

Let the hate flow through you. 

- The Emperor (Return of the Jedi) 

*Waitaminnit, what are we doing in the NHL thread? 

Gimme a break.  I'm a Red Wings fan.  I've been directionless for 7 years.

 

[elizium]

On 4/8/2023 at 5:50 PM, RIPPA said:

Sidney Crosby becomes the 15th player to reach 1500 points (He is the 6th fastest to do so)

Crosby also became the 7th player to score 1500 points for one team and the 12th player to score 90 points in a season age 35 or older

Just to get the conversation back on track, its wild to think that Crosby has pretty insane career numbers yet if you could say there is any black mark in his career, its that he never quite became the dominant offensive force he was expected to be. If you told people the day he was drafted that he would be winding up his career with only 2 scoring titles, 2 Hart trophies, and 2 years of 40+ goals, they'd probably say he was a disappointment.

That's obviously not the case and a lot of it has to do with Pittsburgh always sticking spare parts on his lines because of cap issues, but those 4 straight years of sub-90 point seasons during what should have been his prime years (27-30) look especially strange for the best player in the league. I'm curious if those really bad concussion seasons early in his career changed his trajectory? Because the kind of seasons McDavid has been having is what was expected of Sid coming out of Junior.

At his peak, he was unquestionably the best player in the world, but there still is a bit of a what could have been when it comes to Sid.

[Brian Fowler]

4 hours ago, elizium said:

Just to get the conversation back on track, its wild to think that Crosby has pretty insane career numbers yet if you could say there is any black mark in his career, its that he never quite became the dominant offensive force he was expected to be. If you told people the day he was drafted that he would be winding up his career with only 2 scoring titles, 2 Hart trophies, and 2 years of 40+ goals, they'd probably say he was a disappointment.

That's obviously not the case and a lot of it has to do with Pittsburgh always sticking spare parts on his lines because of cap issues, but those 4 straight years of sub-90 point seasons during what should have been his prime years (27-30) look especially strange for the best player in the league. I'm curious if those really bad concussion seasons early in his career changed his trajectory? Because the kind of seasons McDavid has been having is what was expected of Sid coming out of Junior.

At his peak, he was unquestionably the best player in the world, but there still is a bit of a what could have been when it comes to Sid.

I think you can make a pretty solid argument that Ovechkin sniped the whole "best player of their generation" title from him.

[sabremike]

10 hours ago, elizium said:

Just to get the conversation back on track, its wild to think that Crosby has pretty insane career numbers yet if you could say there is any black mark in his career, its that he never quite became the dominant offensive force he was expected to be. If you told people the day he was drafted that he would be winding up his career with only 2 scoring titles, 2 Hart trophies, and 2 years of 40+ goals, they'd probably say he was a disappointment.

That's obviously not the case and a lot of it has to do with Pittsburgh always sticking spare parts on his lines because of cap issues, but those 4 straight years of sub-90 point seasons during what should have been his prime years (27-30) look especially strange for the best player in the league. I'm curious if those really bad concussion seasons early in his career changed his trajectory? Because the kind of seasons McDavid has been having is what was expected of Sid coming out of Junior.

At his peak, he was unquestionably the best player in the world, but there still is a bit of a what could have been when it comes to Sid.

I have long felt Sid is in some ways just about the most under-rated generational player in the history of the big 4 NA sports leagues. When I see the Pens live one thing that stands out with him is that he is ALWAYS in the correct position. Most of hockey is being in the right place at the right time and he is the best player I have ever seen in that regard. The fact that at close to tail end of his career he is still likely to carry a Mount Trashmore roster with Chad Johnson level goaltending to the playoffs speaks volumes.

[elizium]

8 hours ago, Brian Fowler said:

I think you can make a pretty solid argument that Ovechkin sniped the whole "best player of their generation" title from him.

I think it comes down to preferences, but as a complete player, I’d still take Sid. Ovechkin was never the playmaker or as interested defensively. But it’s really splitting hairs, since Sid was never the scorer Ovi was or as physical.

I’d have loved to see Sid in a situation where he consistently got decent line mates, rather than the Penguins having to fit whatever parts they could around his, Geno, and Letang’s contracts. Guys like Conor Sheary and Bryan Rust were fine enough players, but those are fucking third liners. Jake Guentzal is the first long term decent line mate he’s had, depending on how you feel about Chris Kunitz 

[Tabe]

15 hours ago, elizium said:

Just to get the conversation back on track, its wild to think that Crosby has pretty insane career numbers yet if you could say there is any black mark in his career, its that he never quite became the dominant offensive force he was expected to be. If you told people the day he was drafted that he would be winding up his career with only 2 scoring titles, 2 Hart trophies, and 2 years of 40+ goals, they'd probably say he was a disappointment.

That's obviously not the case and a lot of it has to do with Pittsburgh always sticking spare parts on his lines because of cap issues, but those 4 straight years of sub-90 point seasons during what should have been his prime years (27-30) look especially strange for the best player in the league. I'm curious if those really bad concussion seasons early in his career changed his trajectory? Because the kind of seasons McDavid has been having is what was expected of Sid coming out of Junior.

At his peak, he was unquestionably the best player in the world, but there still is a bit of a what could have been when it comes to Sid.

I think injuries definitely took a big chunk out of him. And he STILL averages over 1.25 points a game for his entire career. 

And no way is Ovechkin the best player of his generation. He needs a map to find the defensive half of the ice. 

 

[Dolfan in NYC]

Don't let your ass hit the door on the way out Pittsburgh.

 

 

[elizium]

Saw that Jack Hughes set the Devils season scoring record with his 97th point today. That led me down a rabbit hole to see how many other teams have sub-100 point seasons as their record. Surprisingly more than I would have expected.

Probably no surprise that the two newest teams are on that list. Jared McCann set the Kraken record this year with 70 currently. Was pretty surprised that the Vegas record is 78 by Karlsson during their inagural season. Figured they would have someone hit 80-90 during the time they've been around.

Technically, the Arizona record is Teemu Selanne's 132 point season for the Jets 1.0 in 93. Since moving to the desert the highest has been an 86 point season by Keith Tkachuk. Clayton Keller is currently a point behind that with one game to go.

Speaking of the Jets, the 2.0 record is technically Marion Hossa's exactly 100 point season for the Thrashers. The record on the Prairies is Kyle Connor's 93 points last year.

Artemi Panarin holds the Blue Jackets record with 87 points in his last season with them.

Nashville is the only other team, Roman Josi holds the Predator record at 96 points.

One other stat I found amusing, since moving to Dallas the Stars have one 100 point season and its not the year Jamie Benn won the scoring title. He did that with fucking 87 points in a full goddamn season in 2014-15. What a pathetic scoring year that was. Only five players in the league had 80+ points that year (compared to 27 this year, with another half dozen or so with a reasonable chance of hitting it before seasons end). The one 100 point season for them is Jason Robertson this year. It was hit a few times in Minnesota.

Edited April 12, 2023 by elizium

[RIPPA]

On 4/11/2023 at 10:03 PM, Dolfan in NYC said:

Don't let your ass hit the door on the way out Pittsburgh.

Just to confirm this

The Islanders clinched the East's final playoff spot thus officially eliminating the Pens thus ending their 16 year playoff streak (which was the longest current streak in the "big 4")

[RIPPA]

Also - and this is what @Dolfan in NYC will care about

Quote

With the win, the Islanders (93 points) moved one point ahead of the idle Florida Panthers (92 points). Florida concludes its regular season on Thursday night at home against the Carolina Hurricanes.

If the Panthers win that game in regulation, overtime or a shootout, they will face the first-place team in the Metropolitan Division and the Islanders will face the Boston Bruins, who this week set NHL single-season records for wins and points.

If the Panthers lose to Carolina in overtime or a shootout to earn one point, they'll face the Bruins. While the Islanders and Panthers would each have 93 points, New York would own the second tiebreaker, which is combined regulation and overtime wins. The Islanders would have 41, while Florida would have 40.

The 1st place team will either be Carolina or New Jersey (Carolina is ahead by a point - the Devils play the Caps tonight)

[Dolfan in NYC]

Hissing cat says NO BOSTON. 

We have moved beyond the need for Boston. 

[RIPPA]

The Blackhawks have, unsurprisingly, announced that they will not be re-signing Jonathan Toews and will use tonight's game as a "send-off"

Toews still hasn't said if he is planning on retiring or not

[Tabe]

6 hours ago, RIPPA said:

Just to confirm this

The Islanders clinched the East's final playoff spot thus officially eliminating the Pens thus ending their 16 year playoff streak (which was the longest current streak in the "big 4")

Thanks Pittsburgh. You had one freaking job. 

Context: Detroit has the Islanders' 1st round pick and would've loved another crack at getting hosed in the lottery. 

[RIPPA]

I forgot there were two games tonight

 

[odessasteps]

Weird to have both Crosby and Ovi not in the playoffs.