2018-19 Hockey Megathread: Lightning-Proof Jackets

[Savojarna]

Why do you think a shootout is a joy-killer? I respect your opinion, but I am wondering because I have experienced shootouts quite differently. To me they are a thrilling all-or-nothing situation (which OT's, to be fair, are as well) but with the added intensity of everyone in the building knowing when said situation arises. In my opinion, a prolonged OT which, at least in the ones I recently watched, often devolves into a super-prudent defense first match offers less excitement and suspense than a series of one-on-one duels where many of them will be all-or-nothing situations where the outcome can very easily decide a winner. To me personally, a shootout after 80 hard fought minutes has a very epic quality to it - after hours of battle, if we count interruptions, one man has the weight and hopes of his team on his shoulders. I don't see how you cannot like that

And it's not like there is no connection between hockey skill and shootouts - it's not as if the decision was made by a coin toss or a contest of who can do more pushups at centre ice.

Shooutouts are more or less determined on 1-on-1 basis and not really a product of overall thriller generated by a nice pass from your teammate to you, close-scrimmage situations, etc.

And no. I don't like it no matter the circumstances. One-and-one duels in hockey, especially in determining a win and a loss, is a really anticlimatic way to end a game. It is also overly individualistic, which goes against what many associate hockey with. Do you also want basketball games to end with a three-point contest as well?

I don't know, I never watched a full basketball game.

The individualism point is a nice one, I never considered that. I still don't believe that one-on-one is inherently less climactic than a continuous OT format, especially not given how many overtimes I saw being ended by very anti-climactic goals of the "oh, it went in somehow" kind. That may be subjective though, I guess a lot depends on what you perceive as more interesting. I'm more disturbed by how defensive and safety-first most OTs I watch seem to be than by a shootout, but if you like this kind of game more than the skill display of a shootout I guess that's fair enough.

[Camicon]

Shooutouts are more or less determined on 1-on-1 basis and not really a product of overall thriller generated by a nice pass from your teammate to you, close-scrimmage situations, etc.

And no. I don't like it no matter the circumstances. One-and-one duels in hockey, especially in determining a win and a loss, is a really anticlimatic way to end a game. It is also overly individualistic, which goes against what many associate hockey with. Do you also want basketball games to end with a three-point contest as well?

I don't know, I never watched a full basketball game.

The individualism point is a nice one, I never considered that. I still don't believe that one-on-one is inherently less climactic than a continuous OT format, especially not given how many overtimes I saw being ended by very anti-climactic goals of the "oh, it went in somehow" kind. That may be subjective though, I guess a lot depends on what you perceive as more interesting. I'm more disturbed by how defensive and safety-first most OTs I watch seem to be than by a shootout, but if you like this kind of game more than the skill display of a shootout I guess that's fair enough.

If you take away the shootout then teams have no reason to play it safe during OT.

[Savojarna]

I don't know, I never watched a full basketball game.

The individualism point is a nice one, I never considered that. I still don't believe that one-on-one is inherently less climactic than a continuous OT format, especially not given how many overtimes I saw being ended by very anti-climactic goals of the "oh, it went in somehow" kind. That may be subjective though, I guess a lot depends on what you perceive as more interesting. I'm more disturbed by how defensive and safety-first most OTs I watch seem to be than by a shootout, but if you like this kind of game more than the skill display of a shootout I guess that's fair enough.

If you take away the shootout then teams have no reason to play it safe during OT.

Wouldn't you still play a lot safer than in regular time as a goal means immediate end of the game? I think teams still wouldn't be as attacking as during regular time. I'm not saying that the SO does anything to make OT more exciting, but it puts an end to an OT where the teams play too safe.

[The Royal Kingdom of Quebec]

I think longer 4-on-4 periods would help at least to certain extent on regular season / group stage games. Still won't solve the whole issue with having Shootouts in fucking elimination round games though....

[Camicon]

I think longer 4-on-4 periods would help at least to certain extent on regular season / group stage games. Still won't solve the whole issue with having Shootouts in fucking elimination round games though....

Should stay 3-on-3 OT during the regular season. It's not fair to teams that have back-to-back games play an extra frame at 4-on-4, and it's not fair to fans that have work the next morning. Maybe also remove offsides and such, encourage more offensive play.

[Elejamie]

A quick break from the whole "continuous OT vs shootout" debate: Ottawa won 2-1 last night, which means that it's going to be a game seven in Pittsurgh. Will the Penguins win on home ice to make it to their second final in a row? Or will the Senators become the first Canadian team to make it to the Stanley Cup Final since the Canucks in 2011 (and their first Final in a decade)?

[Savojarna]

A quick break from the whole "continuous OT vs shootout" debate: Ottawa won 2-1 last night, which means that it's going to be a game seven in Pittsurgh. Will the Penguins win on home ice to make it to their second final in a row? Or will the Senators become the first Canadian team to make it to the Stanley Cup Final since the Canucks in 2011 (and their first Final in a decade)?

I really don't know much about the two team's form (or Ottawa's roster, despite being drafted by them in NHL 17's Be A Pro...), but I really hope Ottawa makes it. It's about time Canada wins a Cup, even if I'll still support Nashville in the final.

[Jello Biafra]

I had a slight preference for Nashville to win, though I'd have preferred it in 7 rather than 6.

Silly universe. I said the Preds/Ducks series should be 7, not the Pens/Sens series.

[Jello Biafra]

I picked a fantastic time to watch an entire game.
Go Penguins! Woo!

[Tarsonis Survivors]

I picked a fantastic time to watch an entire game.
Go Penguins! Woo!

Glad they won, now I can truly embrace Preds for the Cup.

[Kaboomlandia]

Poll updated.

[Shofercia]

Oh hey, it's the finals. Any Canadian Teams? Nope. I think Senators got impeached again. Don't worry Canada, one day, perhaps in 2050... eh, who am I kidding?

Anyways, let's hope that the Preds win. Pens had enough Cups for now.

[Elejamie]

Oh hey, it's the finals. Any Canadian Teams? Nope. I think Senators got impeached again. Don't worry Canada, one day, perhaps in 2050... eh, who am I kidding?

Anyways, let's hope that the Preds win. Pens had enough Cups for now.

Coincidentally, that's going to be the same year that both the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers miss the NBA Finals.

But seriously, disappointed that Ottawa lost but I'm still hoping the Preds can win the SC.

[Savojarna]

And suddenly the media over here are very interested in the NHL after not caring for at least 90% of the season ^^ regardless of who wins, someone is going to become the first skater from Switzerland to win a cup. Our only previous winners were David Aebischer with the Avalanche in 2001 and Martin Gerber with the Hurricanes in 2006, both of which were backup goalies. Now either Mark Streit of the Pens or Roman Josi and Yannick Weber (and Kevin Fiala, even if injured) are going to get that record.

From that perspective, I'd have to support Pittsburgh, because of what Streit did for our hockey - he's the first Swiss skater to establish himself in the NHL, the first Swiss ever to participate in an NHL-All-Star-Game, the first (and only, I think?) Swiss to ever be captain of an NHL team... it would just be deserved if he were the first skater to lift it as well.

[Idzequitch]

Started at the bottom (of the playoff seeding) now they're here. Just four more wins. Let's go Preds!

[Frank Zipper]

Could the Arizona Coyotes be persuaded to rename themselves the Arizona Aliens, raising the possibility of a future Aliens vs Predators matches?

[Camicon]

Could the Arizona Coyotes be persuaded to rename themselves the Arizona Aliens, raising the possibility of a future Aliens vs Predators matches?

Would make more sense for Vegas. They've got Area 51 in their state.

[Idzequitch]

Could the Arizona Coyotes be persuaded to rename themselves the Arizona Aliens, raising the possibility of a future Aliens vs Predators matches?

Would make more sense for Vegas. They've got Area 51 in their state.

Or you could put a team in Roswell. I'm sure that would go well.

[Tarsonis Survivors]

Would make more sense for Vegas. They've got Area 51 in their state.

Or you could put a team in Roswell. I'm sure that would go well.

"And it's the end of the second, Roswell Aliens are up by 7, what's the mood like down on the ice Pierre?"

"Yeah Doc, I spoke with Coach K, before they went to the locker room, about his strategy in the 3rd, and his response was simple. Keep supporting their star centerman, Reggie Redgick. At 7'5", 435 lbs, a blistering 200 mph wrist shot, and still going strong after a 40 minutes of ice time, he truly is the heart of this team."

[Elejamie]

Would make more sense for Vegas. They've got Area 51 in their state.

Or you could put a team in Roswell. I'm sure that would go well.

Don't give Gary Bettman ideas.

Anyway, now that we've got our SC Finalists, I'm going to give one last prediction: Nashville Predators to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. (even though what would really happen is that the Pens would sweep them)

[Shofercia]

Oh hey, it's the finals. Any Canadian Teams? Nope. I think Senators got impeached again. Don't worry Canada, one day, perhaps in 2050... eh, who am I kidding?

Anyways, let's hope that the Preds win. Pens had enough Cups for now.

Coincidentally, that's going to be the same year that both the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers miss the NBA Finals.

But seriously, disappointed that Ottawa lost but I'm still hoping the Preds can win the SC.

Eh, I doubt it. GS and Cleveland will fade away eventually, LeBron and Curry aren't eternal. I think.

Could the Arizona Coyotes be persuaded to rename themselves the Arizona Aliens, raising the possibility of a future Aliens vs Predators matches?

I second this idea. Plus Arizona's team is a bit like the Migrant Worker, always ready to move and not sure where, so the aliens name would be quite fitting

[Elejamie]

Coincidentally, that's going to be the same year that both the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers miss the NBA Finals.

But seriously, disappointed that Ottawa lost but I'm still hoping the Preds can win the SC.

Eh, I doubt it. GS and Cleveland will fade away eventually, LeBron and Curry aren't eternal. I think.

I guess. But when you get the same final three years in a row, it damn well feels like an eternity. I know that from experience.

Anyway, back to hockey (because the GSW-Cavs stuff's for the NBA thread and I don't really watch that much basketball): Anyone else have any predictions on who'll win the Stanley Cup? And how many games they'll do it in?

[Frenline Delpha]

Or you could put a team in Roswell. I'm sure that would go well.

Don't give Gary Bettman ideas.

Anyway, now that we've got our SC Finalists, I'm going to give one last prediction: Nashville Predators to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. (even though what would really happen is that the Pens would sweep them)

That's right, baby. Complete sweep.

[Camicon]

Eh, I doubt it. GS and Cleveland will fade away eventually, LeBron and Curry aren't eternal. I think.

I guess. But when you get the same final three years in a row, it damn well feels like an eternity. I know that from experience.

Anyway, back to hockey (because the GSW-Cavs stuff's for the NBA thread and I don't really watch that much basketball): Anyone else have any predictions on who'll win the Stanley Cup? And how many games they'll do it in?

Preds in six.

If the Sens are able to push the Pens to Game 7 double OT then the Preds have the potential to eat them alive. Could be as short as five, but I'm guessing six.

[Camicon]

Just got back from the Flames end-of-season equipment sale. Got some nice stuff. Anyone else go to those in their cities?