The NHL Thread

Bryz can rest easy, the Coyotes are not gonna make it to the finals this year.
I didn't get to watch much of the game tonight so I'll keep it at that.

So much for the West being the superior conference. Their top seeds have looked like shit in the playoffs.

Not sure if Kings are this good or rest of the West is shit.

It seriously comes down to how goalies can perform in each series. I had no confidence in Corey Crawford so that was easy to pick Phoenix out of that series. And then Rinne took a dump in the Nashville series. Ray Whitney, Vrbata, Hanzal, Doan are just being shut down right now. Sutter (like Lemaire and other coaches) definitely pushes the players to always get their stick on the puck or in the lane to disrupt things. It's paying off.

Given your history, this statement coming from you more or less guarantees a Cup win for the Kings.

I already said nobody can beat the Kings.

@WRUS, I'm not sure but the article says it was built for the Nets.
@MB30, Those are the prices for the game you are talking about.
http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/...-will-have-a-horseshoe-seating-configuration/

I really don't even know how to respond to this. I don't think I've ever said the West was superior. I think most of us said Halak being out hurt the Blues and Sedin/Kesler injured hurt the Canucks along with Luongo not playing well. Rinne, Quick and Halak were the best goalies going into the playoffs but Rinne took a dump in his last series. There's no way Crawford, Howard or Niemi would go super deep this year.

The Pacific Division, as I stated earlier, was one of the worst divisions this season.

Nostradamus has spoken everyone^^^
Wanna insert foot in mouth now or wait till after the finals are over?

I remember Mike going off how the West was so much better than the East.

I'm trying to jinx the Kings, but Quick is too good.

I don't know what happened to the Canucks but the Blues and Coyotes just have nobody that scares you and they can't sustain any offensive pressure at all. I'm not buying into the Kings hype yet. I would love to see the Devils get a shot at them.

Get off Quick's dick already. He was barely tested and Kings had them pinned in their own zone for long periods of time and the Coyotes couldn't even enter the zone for last 3 minutes. That's not happening with the Devils or Rangers.

http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/...-franchise-in-history-to-start-playoffs-11-1/

Notice in 1994-1995 the Detroit Red Wings had this same playoff record.
They made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to be swept by the NJ Devils.

Well, like I said, I thought Whitney and Vrbata would be a factor in this series but apparently not. And I know the Blues didn't really have many offensive weapons; not a single player broke 60 points this season for them. Let's face it... both Kings (due to the reasons stated above) and Coyotes haven't faced much of a challenge in these playoffs. Coyotes, just now, are finally getting a huge wake up call. "wow, the first two rounds went so well"...

Speaking of players that broke 60 points...
For Kings: Kopitar
For Devils: Kovalchuk, Elias, Parise
For Rangers: Gaborik, Richards
For Coyotes: Whitney, Vrbata
For Blues: nobody
For Preds: nobody
For Blackhawks: Sharp, Kane

I agree MB. Having watched bit of this series the Yotes are horrible. In one 2 minute sequence they literally handed the puck to LA 3 times. How they got this far is beyond me. If Kings fans think the defense from ANY team in the west even slightly resembles what the Devils and Rangers play they are in for a rude awakening.

Its really not that the teams the Kings have played are bad. Its that the Kings forechecking, Goaltending, PK, and D is that solid. I know the East Coast bias is strong on this forum, but you can't deny a team going 11-1 in the post season. The SCF will be a whole different series, but you can't deny a team that shut down the President's Trophy winning Canucks, and the BEST Defensive team in the league in St. Louis. I agree Phoenix isnt playing very well, apart from Smith they are a bunch of frauds. No one gives the Kings credit everyone says its because their team has played bad. But every series has gone the same the Kings win game one on the road, game two they come out strong and get under their oppenents skin then that team gets dirty. By the time the series shifts back to LA that team is deflated. Both the Devils and the Rangers are going to have to put the puck in the net at even strength because their is no PK like the Kings right now.

I'm not here to procliam that the Kings are winning easy, but give them some respect. As a long suffering Kings fan this run still doesnt even seem real to me. At the outset of the playoffs all i hoped for was a playoff series victory, but now it seems like the Cup is a possibilty. Many hardcore Kings fans are in a state of euphoria right now, I mean look at the crowds at Staples for this playoffs they were insane. I don't really care who comes out of the East because i have confidence in this team that they can beat anyone. Anyways should be a great SCF regardless GO KINGS GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

what a stupid comment.

Kings are getting respect and, imo, they are getting too much of it. Everyone is on the Kings bandwagon right now including Vegas who had them has Cup favorites before the conference finals even started. The media here is acting like the winner of the NJ-NY series has no chance so I'm not sure where the lack of respect comes from?

The Kings get under their opponents skin and then that team gets dirty?? I believe that was the same strategy the Flyers had and we all saw how the Devils handled them.

The Kings forechecking, goaltending, PK and D is solid but so are the Devils and Rangers so you have to understand why Devils and Rangers fans are a little insulted with all the Kings hype. As a Devils fan I can tell you that if our two teams meet in the SCF you will face the best forechecking team you have seen all playoffs. What I saw from St. Louis and Phoenix was a joke.

There may be more East Coasters in here but I don't agree about the bias. There are good fans that know that game so maybe you shouldn't stop in here for the first time when your team is one win away from the Finals and tell us we're biased.

I think you should buy into the Kings. They have played very well. I think it is unfair to judge who they beat. You beat who you have to play. Beating the 1, 2 and close to the 3rd seed is not bad. You could make the argument that the Devils beating the Panthers was simple and beating the Flyers who had a worse goalie than any of the teams the Kings faced. Apples and Oranges I think. Let's see how the Kings do against the ECF champ. Unless the Kings choke!!!


We have been chatting about Seattle. It looks like they will build an arena, but will it be another Kansas City type that just sits there.


Yahoo.com


Attempts to build a nearly $500 million arena that could bring the NBA back to Seattle took another step forward on Wednesday.
And if an NHL team turns out to not be part of the equation, the public investment will be less than originally believed.

The city, King County and private investor Chris Hansen announced a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday laying out the financial responsibilities for the proposed venue.

The proposal included two significant changes, the result of three months of negotiations between Hansen and the local municipalities, from the original unveiled in February. The agreement indicates that construction on the facility could begin with only an NBA franchise on board. Previously, it was believed that both an NBA and an NHL franchise would need to be committed tenants to make the plan work.

The plan calls for nearly $300 million in private investment from Hansen's group. The amount of public support would be capped at $120 million if it's only the NBA making a return to the Puget Sound region. It would be $200 million if NBA and NHL franchises are involved.

The goal is still to bring both professional leagues, but the project can move forward with only the NBA in hand, which is the focus of Hansen, a San Francisco hedge-fund manager and main investor in the project.

''Our job is, as soon as possible, when we have an agreement in place, we'll be very aggressive in our efforts to make sure that everybody knows that we would like to have a franchise back here,'' Hansen said. ''I don't want to comment on specific franchises again, but we'll do the best that we can.''

The agreement now goes before the Seattle City Council and King County Council for review. Both entities would need to approve the agreement for the project to move forward. No construction would begin until after a franchise has been acquired.

Other little nuggets are laid out within the 24-page MOU, including the bullet point that any NBA team using the facility will have to be named the SuperSonics, subject to NBA approval. Hansen also included a side letter where he suggests that KeyArena would be used for up to two years as a temporary home with a handful of upgrades paid for by Hansen's investor group, ArenaCo. Following its use as a temporary facility, Hansen suggests KeyArena could become a smaller arena, a theater venue or exhibition center.

But the bulk of the MOU focused on the financial details of the public investment, which is to be paid for through taxes and revenues generated by the new arena and has a number of public protections included.

The project calls for about $290 million in private investment from Hansen's group, along with $200 million from the city and county through 30-year bonds. Any franchise that comes to Seattle and uses the arena would be required to sign a non-relocation agreement that would span the life of those bonds.

All construction costs, including overruns, would be paid for by Hansen's group, along with all environmental studies and permitting. Once that process is completed, most of the public investment is placed on the city.

The MOU calls for an initial investment of $100 million by the city for acquisition of the project site. During a second investment window, the city would contribute another $20 million if both an NBA and NHL team are acquired, with the remaining $80 million in public investment being bonded by the county.

If only an NBA team is acquired, the public bonding would be capped at $120 million with $115 million coming from the city and only $5 million coming from the county.

''We have to keep taking steps along the way,'' Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn said. ''I guess what I'm trying to say is it would be a real shot in the arm to our community to bring back the Sonics and that has value.''

Specifications for the arena were also released. It would hold up to 19,000 for concerts, 18,500 for basketball and 17,500 for hockey and be constructed on a site just south of downtown Seattle in the neighborhood including Safeco Field and CenturyLink Field.

Putting a third sports venue is the same area has drawn concern about traffic and transportation, most notably by the Port of Seattle and the Seattle Mariners. Hansen's group has paid for a traffic study currently being conducted by the Seattle Department of Transportation.

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Welcome to the thread. I admit I have jumped on the Kings bandwagon after my team was eliminated. They are a fun team to watch and have a lot of likeable players. In addition to a team that has never won it or hardly been there. I am rooting for the Kings and can't hide it.

I do think there is an east coast bias and the Kings do not get enough respect. They won all their road games and lost 1 game the entire playoffs. If that is not impressive I really don't know what to tell anyone.

Smith has been one of the best goalies in these playoffs.

I heard Sunday is going to be crazy. The biggest bike race in California ends right next to Staples Center at 11:30am, 30 minutes before the game on Sunday. They are encouraging all fans to get to the arena by 9am PST. If they do they can go in the arena and get free doughnuts!!!! Crazy time in LA!!!

I can't see LA fans getting their too early for a game.

Good luck to the Kings!!!!

I think the Kings are good and I'm pretty sure I picked them to be a top team in the West this season but the NHL hype machine is out in full force right now.

You have to remember how the NHL hype machine works. People get carried away and take the team that is winning at the time and declare them unbeatable. The Rangers and Bruins were considered unbeatable in the East all year until a late surge by the Penguins made them the odds on favorite to win the Cup. When the Flyers destroyed the Penguins in the 1st round people were talking about how the Flyers were the new team to beat until the Devils made them look like dog shit. Now the Kings are steamrolling through the West people are talking about how great the Kings are, even our resident hockey expert, ALC, called the Kings unbeatable. All I'm saying is, calm down with the Kings hype because, while I think they are very good, they did catch a Canucks team at the right time and beat 2 teams in the Blues and Coyotes that have nothing offensively and are still playing the "90's style trap" that isn't as effective in the playoffs as it was back then.

I still say the winner of the ECF will handle the Kings.

Explain how the Kings get no respect?? Las Vegas had them as favorites to win the Cup before the conference finals. When I'm at work and I put on FAN every hockey expert comes on gushing about the LA Kings and how they will be favorites in the SCF even though both the Devils and Rangers will have home ice.

I don't get the "no respect" thing for the Kings.

They weren't drinking and they missed the curfew by an hour and they get suspended for 2 playoff games? How about a heavy fine and a good talking to instead...

I wonder if Weber and Suter were an hour late to the hotel if they would've been suspended for 2 playoff games??

I am in agreement that people and the media do hype up teams when they get hot. At the same time I do think LA deserves the credit the way they are winning. Should they be favorites in the finals? No not definitely by no means.

That same argument that you made about who the Kings beat you can make that argument who the Devils beat. The Devils beat the Panthers and it took them to 2 OT games in 6 and 7 against a mediocre team at best. The Devils beat the Flyers who have one of the worst goaltending in the playoffs besides what Fleury showed too.

Therefore, you really can't make the argument what team has played a tougher schedule IMHO.

We shall see. I guess we both know who we are picking in the finals now don't we!!!!!

I think that you and someone here are not giving them the respect they deserve. They deserve the respect they are getting from the media.

Please enlighten me how often a team has been undefeated on the road in their first 7 games in the playoffs and is 11-1? If you can't give that team respect then I can't help you.

What teams should the Kings have beaten in the playoffs that you would give them a shot at beating the Rangers or Devils in the finals?

I think the Kings have what it takes to win it all. Can they? Who the hell knows!!!!!