ADSF- (1)Florida vs (4)NY Islanders (Islanders win 4-2)

[Regorium]

I think it's really unfortunate for Florida. In "letting the players decide", the refs decided the series.

From watching games 5 and 6, Florida deserved a lot better. Glad that they're finally turning things around with Ekblad and Barkov.

[Roof-Daddy]

FLA's top 3 centers

Barkov (20)
Bjugstad (23)
Trocheck (22)

FLA's top 2 wingers

Huberdeau (22)
Smith (25)

FLA's top 4 defensemen

Ekblad (20)
Kulikov (25)
Gudbranson (24)
Petrovic (24)


That team has a bright future.

Their only worries IMO are:

1) Goaltending, Luongo is 37 and has no real successor in place yet
2) Internal budget, trying build around that awesome young core once they are all making big money

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

The Johnny-Monny-Huds line was on fire right before we traded Hudler. Bring him back if the dollars make sense.

They were on fire because Hartley was force feeding Hudler prime ice time to boost his value. Which is exactly what it did.

If we didn't have $11M on the 5/6/7D, I'd be open to it but Hudler is frankly a luxury the team cannot afford.

[FlamesAddiction]

I had almost no interest in this series, but some of the Panther fans I came across on the interweb have been unbearable. After years of futility and high draft picks, you would think they would be more humble. It makes me think about how bad it will be when the Oilers finally make it in one day. All due respect to our resident Panthers fan who I am not talking about.

Tavares and Barkov are both 2 of my favourite non-Flame players at the moment though. Glad to see one of them moving on.

[CorsiHockeyLeague]

You actually don't really have to have a successor on the goaltending front in today's NHL, in my opinion. Unlike #1C's and franchise defensemen, they actually CAN be reasonably acquired through trade (Jones) or the free agent market (Neuvirth). Certain teams end up with more potential starters than they need; either Jon Gillies or Mason McDonald is the Flames' future #1 (or neither, if Ortio somehow turns into Lundqvist or something), not both. Then you have to trade away a relatively unproven guy from a position of weakness. Boom, someone gets a "successor" to their current goaltending situation.

You can fix that problem fairly quickly, even if it turns out that none of the guys in your system happen to become NHL quality netminders (which, let's be honest, seems to happen more or less at random sometimes).

[IgiTang]

Imagine how good Tavares would be with a proper supporting cast. Not that NYI has terrible players, they just don't have anyone else that can put the team on their back or score the "big goal".

Tavares is carrying that team ATM. Good for him.

[northcrunk]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I had almost no interest in this series, but some of the Panther fans I came across on the interweb have been unbearable. After years of futility and high draft picks, you would think they would be more humble. It makes me think about how bad it will be when the Oilers finally make it in one day. All due respect to our resident Panthers fan who I am not talking about.

Tavares and Barkov are both 2 of my favourite non-Flame players at the moment though. Glad to see one of them moving on.

The year 2026 is a long way away.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

You actually don't really have to have a successor on the goaltending front in today's NHL, in my opinion. Unlike #1C's and franchise defensemen, they actually CAN be reasonably acquired through trade (Jones) or the free agent market (Neuvirth). Certain teams end up with more potential starters than they need; either Jon Gillies or Mason McDonald is the Flames' future #1 (or neither, if Ortio somehow turns into Lundqvist or something), not both. Then you have to trade away a relatively unproven guy from a position of weakness. Boom, someone gets a "successor" to their current goaltending situation.

You can fix that problem fairly quickly, even if it turns out that none of the guys in your system happen to become NHL quality netminders (which, let's be honest, seems to happen more or less at random sometimes).

I think the main problem stems from the fact that goalies don't come anywhere close to their potential until well after their ELC, as opposed to forwards or defensemen. That makes drafting and developing a goalie pretty much a gamble, and when they finally get close enough to being an NHL goalie, their RFA years are gone and they can be had on the open market.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Roof-Daddy

FLA's top 3 centers

Barkov (20)
Bjugstad (23)
Trocheck (22)

FLA's top 2 wingers

Huberdeau (22)
Smith (25)

FLA's top 4 defensemen

Ekblad (20)
Kulikov (25)
Gudbranson (24)
Petrovic (24)
Mike Matheson (22)
Ian McCoshen (20)

That team has a bright future.

Their only worries IMO are:

1) Goaltending, Luongo is 37 and has no real successor in place yet
2) Internal budget, trying build around that awesome young core once they are all making big money

I just wanted to add the last two names to the defense of the future. Matheson in his first pro season this year looked good, scoring 20 points in 54 games, and a +14 in the AHL. Came up to the big team just before the playoffs started and looked like he really belonged. Was even being paired with Ekblad for the last few games, and looked composed with good offensive flair. He's probably Brian Campbell's replacement next year.

Ian McCoshen was being overshadowed at Boston College by both Matheson and Hannifin, until this year where he scored 21 points in 40 games in his junior season. He's also played twice on the WJC team for the Americans. Kid will likely make the team in the future.

Don't forget the big kid Lawson Crouse (6'4" 215 already) who almost made the team out of camp, but was returned to junior where he scored 62 points in 49 games for the Kingston Frontenacs. Not to forget his point-per-game performance for Team Canada at the WJC this year.

There's still some big pieces coming for the Panthers.

[Da_Chief]

Good to see Panthers with all their high draft picks finally made the playoffs. Maybe next time (likely be another few years) their few fans show up.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Good to see Panthers with all their high draft picks finally made the playoffs. Maybe next time (likely be another few years) their few fans show up.

Can you just stop being a troll now? They're out. You must be thrilled. No need to try and rub salt in the wound.

[Da_Chief]

Yes, I'm being a troll on a Flames board regarding the Panthers.

Just saying it as is, until they prove other wise they will be a team that wasted a lot of top end talent. No different then the Oilers.

Anyways, now I hope Tavares and company can knock off Tampa too. Screw Tampa.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Yes, I'm being a troll on a Flames board regarding the Panthers.

Just saying it as is, until they prove other wise they will be a team that wasted a lot of top end talent. No different then the Oilers.

Anyways, now I hope Tavares and company can knock off Tampa too. Screw Tampa.

I think you have to stop and ask yourself "what am I really mad at here?" You seem to have an irrational hatred on some of these topics.

[Da_Chief]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

I think you have to stop and ask yourself "what am I really mad at here?" You seem to have an irrational hatred on some of these topics.

Like wanting Hartley replaced (ask yourself is he a coach that will lead the Flames to a cup, I don't think so. That's my opinion and I've pointed it out).

You're a Panthers fan so you'll notice people disliking them. There's as much dislike for Tampa, Chicago, LA, Anaheim etc in other playoff threads too.

So please ask yourself "why are you sensitive about the Panthers?"

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by Da_Chief

Like wanting Hartley replaced (ask yourself is he a coach that will lead the Flames to a cup, I don't think so. That's my opinion and I've pointed it out).

You're a Panthers fan so you'll notice people disliking them. There's as much dislike for Tampa, Chicago, LA, Anaheim etc in other playoff threads too.

So please ask yourself "why are you sensitive about the Panthers?"

Not sure what that has to do with you hating the Panthers, or hating me for being their fan.

Not especially sensitive, but you're bringing up tired tropes over and over, whether they're relevant or not, and it gets old really quick.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Just a couple more notes and then we can put this one to bed.

Technically threads are put to bed when the community as a whole stops posting in them, not when a decider declares it over.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Originally Posted by jayswin

Technically threads are put to bed when the community as a whole stops posting in them, not when a decider declares it over.

Yeah ok...thanks for the tip. I didn't mean it that way, just that I didn't think there wasn't much more to talk about after those thoughts I posted, but I guess I was wrong.

[The Yen Man]

I want teams like the Panthers, Canes, and Isles to do well, just to further cement the fact that Oilers are in a class of their own when it comes to being a terrible team that can't get out of the craphole they've dug themselves into.

[OffsideSpecialist]

Regarding the overtime success the Isles had, one interesting point brought up by CBC approximately 8461 times last night was the fact that the Islanders rolled four lines all series while the Panthers only rolled three. Splitting up the ice time more among players probably gave the Islanders more energy, particularly when dealing with consecutive double-overtime games.

[MrMastodonFarm]

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Can you just stop being a troll now? They're out. You must be thrilled. No need to try and rub salt in the wound.

This is a little weird to say, that one even has to, but this is a Flames forum, it's not weird that we cut down other teams here, even if it's a little irrational. You really need to just suck it up.