The OFFICIAL 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs Thread

[Joe K]

Admittedly, I didn't really start watching the Penguins play until late in the Tampa Bay series, so take this with a grain of salt, but I thought Murray deserved the Conn Smythe, with Kessel the runner up among Penguins players. (Couture or Pavelski would've been in my top-5 for sure, too, based on their play throughout the playoffs.) Obviously, Crosby is Pittsburgh's best player but just looking at the 24 playoff games they played I thought Murray and Kessel were their two most impactful players.

[Jerloma]

I'm such a bad Penguins fan that the third guy that got to told hold the cup, I'm all like...

[rass]

I'm such a bad Penguins fan that the third guy that got to told hold the cup, I'm all like...

If I was a crier...

[Jerloma]

Admittedly, I didn't really start watching the Penguins play until late in the Tampa Bay series, so take this with a grain of salt, but I thought Murray deserved the Conn Smythe, with Kessel the runner up among Penguins players. (Couture or Pavelski would've been in my top-5 for sure, too, based on their play throughout the playoffs.) Obviously, Crosby is Pittsburgh's best player but just looking at the 24 playoff games they played I thought Murray and Kessel were their two most impactful players.

Problem with Murray is that he was out-shined by the last 2 goalies his team played against. Pitt's D just took so much pressure off of him.

I'm guessing nobody had good enough numbers to overshadow the non-point impact that Sid has. Although, he surely should have had a few goals that he left on the ice.

[howard]

Thanks, man. It's been a hard 6 weeks but I never gave up on them.

Damn, six weeks. That's twice as long as my bandwagon ride.

[rass]

Admittedly, I didn't really start watching the Penguins play until late in the Tampa Bay series, so take this with a grain of salt, but I thought Murray deserved the Conn Smythe, with Kessel the runner up among Penguins players. (Couture or Pavelski would've been in my top-5 for sure, too, based on their play throughout the playoffs.) Obviously, Crosby is Pittsburgh's best player but just looking at the 24 playoff games they played I thought Murray and Kessel were their two most impactful players.

Problem with Murray is that he was out-shined by the last 2 goalies his team played against. Pitt's D just took so much pressure off of him.

I'm guessing nobody had good enough numbers to overshadow the non-point impact that Sid has. Although, he surely should have had a few goals that he left on the ice.

You're pretty good at this.

[rass]

Ugh. The MAF's future part of the postgame. Yuck.

[Jerloma]

Admittedly, I didn't really start watching the Penguins play until late in the Tampa Bay series, so take this with a grain of salt, but I thought Murray deserved the Conn Smythe, with Kessel the runner up among Penguins players. (Couture or Pavelski would've been in my top-5 for sure, too, based on their play throughout the playoffs.) Obviously, Crosby is Pittsburgh's best player but just looking at the 24 playoff games they played I thought Murray and Kessel were their two most impactful players.

Problem with Murray is that he was out-shined by the last 2 goalies his team played against. Pitt's D just took so much pressure off of him.

I'm guessing nobody had good enough numbers to overshadow the non-point impact that Sid has. Although, he surely should have had a few goals that he left on the ice.

You're pretty good at this.

Hockey ain't hard.

[rass]

Hall and Oates playing in the locker room!

[sancarlos]

I'd have given the Conn Smythe to Kessel. Fuck Crosby.

[rass]

Fuck Crosby.

woo!

[rass]

Ugh. The MAF's future part of the postgame. Yuck.

I noticed his daughter had on his jersey, but didn't notice it said "DADDY" instead of "FLEURY" on the back. Awwww.

[mister d]

Congrats to MAF (0-1, .875) on his second Stanley Cup.

[rass]

Hey wlulax! What are your rules on the NHL playoff avatar bets? Does the loser have to keep the avatar for a week after the Cup final? A month? Asking for an acquaintance.

[mister d]

I think it was "one week or until the winner's backup goaltender is bought out, whichever comes first". I could be mistaken.

I am happy for Hags and Kessel.

[Sabo]

I think it was "one week or until the winner's backup goaltender is bought out, whichever comes first". I could be mistaken.

All I know is it's the best Swamp avatar in a long while.

[Gunpowder]

Admittedly, I didn't really start watching the Penguins play until late in the Tampa Bay series, so take this with a grain of salt, but I thought Murray deserved the Conn Smythe, with Kessel the runner up among Penguins players. (Couture or Pavelski would've been in my top-5 for sure, too, based on their play throughout the playoffs.) Obviously, Crosby is Pittsburgh's best player but just looking at the 24 playoff games they played I thought Murray and Kessel were their two most impactful players.

Problem with Murray is that he was out-shined by the last 2 goalies his team played against. Pitt's D just took so much pressure off of him.

I'm guessing nobody had good enough numbers to overshadow the non-point impact that Sid has. Although, he surely should have had a few goals that he left on the ice.

Crosby was awesome all series outside of the score sheet.

I thought Kessel actually missed more chances than anybody.

[mister d]

Can't miss a chance without getting a chance.

[sancarlos]

IMHO, those guys on the Kessel/Hagelin/Bonino line were more impactful than was Crosby. As I said elsewhere, I'd have given the Conn Smythe to Kessel. Before game six, I was surprised to hear Pierre McGuire ask Marc Eduoard Vlasic what was his secret to "dominating" his matchup against Crosby during the series. I don't agree with Pierre there, but it was funny to consider that the same day that was said, Crosby won the Conn Smythe.

[Joe K]

Can't miss a chance without getting a chance.

My reason for thinking Kessel over Crosby is that if you look at the entire postseason he had more goals, more points and a significantly better plus/minus rating. Crosby wins faceoffs and does more to control puck possession, so I totally get that he's the better player. I just thought Kessel deserved credit for doing more that actually affected the scoresheet. I would've gone with Murray though, given that his GAA and save percentage were stellar and the team had such a balanced scoring attack that no skater stood out. Even though the Pens consistently outshot their opponents, they weren't exactly lighting up the scoreboard so Murray did have to play really well.

[Jerloma]

Admittedly, I didn't really start watching the Penguins play until late in the Tampa Bay series, so take this with a grain of salt, but I thought Murray deserved the Conn Smythe, with Kessel the runner up among Penguins players. (Couture or Pavelski would've been in my top-5 for sure, too, based on their play throughout the playoffs.) Obviously, Crosby is Pittsburgh's best player but just looking at the 24 playoff games they played I thought Murray and Kessel were their two most impactful players.

Problem with Murray is that he was out-shined by the last 2 goalies his team played against. Pitt's D just took so much pressure off of him.

I'm guessing nobody had good enough numbers to overshadow the non-point impact that Sid has. Although, he surely should have had a few goals that he left on the ice.

Crosby was awesome all series outside of the score sheet.

I thought Kessel actually missed more chances than anybody.

I think you're right. Him and Kunitz. I'm still completely mortified that Kunitz tried to pass that puck back to Malkin last night. I understand some have better vision than others but what kind of vision do you need to see a wide open net right in front of you?

[Jerloma]

By the way, were those mostly Sharks fans just hanging around last night and cheering for each individual Penguin as they got the cup or just a loud minority of Pens fans?

[sancarlos]

By the way, were those mostly Sharks fans just hanging around last night and cheering for each individual Penguin as they got the cup or just a loud minority of Pens fans?

They were mostly Shark fans. I went to game four and only saw maybe a dozen Pens jerseys in the stands. Maybe there were more yesterday, but I doubt there were that many. I think they were just cheering for the event and for the fact that, even though San Jose lost, it was our first Stanley Cup Final anyway, and a really fun post-season run.

And, of course, I had to laugh at that greatest of all hockey traditions, which occurs in every city, the booing of Gary Bettman.

[Jerloma]

Wow. Good on them. That's pretty cool. I can say with almost absolute certainty that I wouldn't be able to do it.

I mean, I stuck around and watched the Pats celebrate and get crowned AFC Champs at Heinz, but only because I'm a masochist. I certainly didn't cheer for them or that fucking sham of an event.

[Sabo]

And, of course, I had to laugh at that greatest of all hockey traditions, which occurs in every city, the booing of Gary Bettman.

I'd love to see it morph from booing him to chanting "asshole" at him.

[mister d]

My reason for thinking Kessel over Crosby is that if you look at the entire postseason he had more goals, more points and a significantly better plus/minus rating. Crosby wins faceoffs and does more to control puck possession, so I totally get that he's the better player. I just thought Kessel deserved credit for doing more that actually affected the scoresheet. I would've gone with Murray though, given that his GAA and save percentage were stellar and the team had such a balanced scoring attack that no skater stood out. Even though the Pens consistently outshot their opponents, they weren't exactly lighting up the scoreboard so Murray did have to play really well.

Oh, I agree on Kessel; if Crosby had his line I'm sure there wouldn't have even been a second place. I would have probably gone Kessel-Letang-Crosby. Murray, by the whole "what if you subtract Player X" logic, or more specifically "what if you swap X for Y", I don't think moves the series. Maybe the other way if its swapping with Jones or Bishop. Granted, he didn't singlehandedly flub them out of the playoffs, which is a big improvement, but I don't think he was among their top ~3-5 most important players.

[rass]

I'm still pretty giddy

[Gunpowder]

Can't miss a chance without getting a chance.

Then give it to Malkin

[Gunpowder]

Can't miss a chance without getting a chance.

My reason for thinking Kessel over Crosby is that if you look at the entire postseason he had more goals, more points and a significantly better plus/minus rating. Crosby wins faceoffs and does more to control puck possession, so I totally get that he's the better player. I just thought Kessel deserved credit for doing more that actually affected the scoresheet. I would've gone with Murray though, given that his GAA and save percentage were stellar and the team had such a balanced scoring attack that no skater stood out. Even though the Pens consistently outshot their opponents, they weren't exactly lighting up the scoreboard so Murray did have to play really well.

Perhaps but Kessel probably should have a higher plus/minus. That's their third line and a big part of why it was so effective.

I wouldn't mind if it went to Kessel, I just don't think it's a travesty that it went to Crosby.

[Gunpowder]

My reason for thinking Kessel over Crosby is that if you look at the entire postseason he had more goals, more points and a significantly better plus/minus rating. Crosby wins faceoffs and does more to control puck possession, so I totally get that he's the better player. I just thought Kessel deserved credit for doing more that actually affected the scoresheet. I would've gone with Murray though, given that his GAA and save percentage were stellar and the team had such a balanced scoring attack that no skater stood out. Even though the Pens consistently outshot their opponents, they weren't exactly lighting up the scoreboard so Murray did have to play really well.

Oh, I agree on Kessel; if Crosby had his line I'm sure there wouldn't have even been a second place. I would have probably gone Kessel-Letang-Crosby. Murray, by the whole "what if you subtract Player X" logic, or more specifically "what if you swap X for Y", I don't think moves the series. Maybe the other way if its swapping with Jones or Bishop. Granted, he didn't singlehandedly flub them out of the playoffs, which is a big improvement, but I don't think he was among their top ~3-5 most important players.

Letang probably had too many moments of awfulness.

[mister d]

Sure, but he was also playing just about half the game and against legit competition. And I hate Letang, which means my positive opinion holds a ton of weight and you should just back off, man.