NHL is back on Saturday Aug 1.

[Blansky]

In a strange form, hockey is back. Stanley Cup playoffs.

No fans. Only 2 buildings, Edmonton and Toronto are being used. Each team is in it's own bubble. No face to face outside interaction with anyone, media included.

https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/...dcasts-change/

Exhibition games are being played starting last night.

It should be interesting how it all plays out.

[huncho]

nba is back tomorrow as well. pretty excited

hoping mlb doesn't get canceled but its all pending phillies test results

[scarlet knight]

I think they should wait for a vaccine. I am a big fan of sports, but this is so unnecessary. Unfair to the players and their families. Not to mention older coaches and staff.

[huncho]

Originally Posted by scarlet knight

I think they should wait for a vaccine. I am a big fan of sports, but this is so unnecessary. Unfair to the players and their families. Not to mention older coaches and staff.

players agreed to it, they didn't have to. lot of nfl players are opting out of the season

i don't think a vaccine will change much. obviously depends on the results but not sure if players will take them without long term results being known (i haven't been keeping up so if i'm wrong here ignore me)

[scarlet knight]

I think that a safe and effective vaccine changes everything.

[walds11]

I can’t wait. I watched my Flyers beat the Pens in OT yesterday (exhibition game). It’ll definitely be interesting on how it all plays out.

[1st amg]

I really gave it a good try last night watching the Leafs against the Habs. It was terrible. I am a huge hockey fan, will watch any game anytime, but for whatever reason, it was painful last night. I think the NHL should have just shut it down.


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[TheVTCGuy]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

I really gave it a good try last night watching the Leafs against the Habs. It was terrible. I am a huge hockey fan, will watch any game anytime, but for whatever reason, it was painful last night. I think the NHL should have just shut it down.


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Interesting, I will be watching myself, try and keep an open mind but I guess we will see. All I can say is Go RED WINGS!!!!!


Oh... wait...

[AzPaul]

Originally Posted by TheVTCGuy

Interesting, I will be watching myself, try and keep an open mind but I guess we will see. All I can say is Go RED WINGS!!!!!


Oh... wait...

The Wings' 39 points speaks for itself.

[Hollie_Rollie]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

I really gave it a good try last night watching the Leafs against the Habs. It was terrible. I am a huge hockey fan, will watch any game anytime, but for whatever reason, it was painful last night. I think the NHL should have just shut it down.


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I watched the pens flyers game and it didn’t seem that bad! Was it the no fans that killed it for you? Imo the play was just fine

[RichM]

Let’s go Rangers ............ Let’s Go Rangers .............

[eman1200]

Originally Posted by Rich Mickol

Let’s go Rangers ............ Let’s Go Rangers .............

Well said, well said!

[eman1200]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

I really gave it a good try last night watching the Leafs against the Habs. It was terrible. I am a huge hockey fan, will watch any game anytime, but for whatever reason, it was painful last night. I think the NHL should have just shut it down.


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Curious, what specifically was bad? Just the game itself? I hear they are trying some new camera angles, was it that? The lack of fans? What?

[1st amg]

Originally Posted by eman1200

Curious, what specifically was bad? Just the game itself? I hear they are trying some new camera angles, was it that? The lack of fans? What?

Just lack of emotion in the game. The guys look out of shape, the speed is much slower, the passes are not crisp and just very pre season feel to the game. Plus, its summer here and just does not feel right. If and when they get to a cup final, I think its a phony cup for the record.

[rodo]

Originally Posted by Blansky

It should be interesting how it all plays out.

Pun?? :D

[MichaelFlash]

Originally Posted by scarlet knight

I think they should wait for a vaccine. I am a big fan of sports, but this is so unnecessary. Unfair to the players and their families. Not to mention older coaches and staff.

What if there is no vaccine? What do we do then?

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by 1st amg

Just lack of emotion in the game. The guys look out of shape, the speed is much slower, the passes are not crisp and just very pre season feel to the game. Plus, its summer here and just does not feel right. If and when they get to a cup final, I think its a phony cup for the record.

I'm sure the refs came into the dressing rooms before the games and said, "have fun out there guys," and the coaches didn't want anyone getting hurt since the games meant nothing. Not even like preseason because even in preseason, guys are fighting for jobs.

This was just a tune up. Get your wind, get your legs.

It will definitely ramp up on Saturday because a best of 5 has NO room for error. One bad game and you could be out.

I think people forget that hockey unlike most professional sports, is a game on a foreign surface (ice) that requires a foreign motion (skating) using a strange stick and a strange object (puck). And unlike walking and running and throwing or catching a ball requires such a incredible skill set that players lose their mojo when even missing a few days of play.

Muscle memory is there but the reason that hockey players rarely miss any days off the ice and even in the off season only take a month or two without playing. Most players play in the off season and/or do ice training drill with specific coaches.

I used to play with NHL players in off season leagues and there is the thing called Captains Ice in which any NHL player can attend pickups games in any NHL city whether he plays for that team or not.

I think starting Saturday the level of play will come back pretty quickly.

[DonRickles]

A necessary diversion!

[brandrea]

Wake me up when the Leaf’s are in the cup finals

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by brandrea

Wake me up when the Leaf’s are in the cup finals

Wow. That's a loooooong nap.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by Blansky

Wow. That's a loooooong nap.

Some would call it a coma

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[stratguy]

The Leafs looked really good today!

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by stratguy

The Leafs looked really good today!

Better. But still too many 'kid mistakes' in their own end. Much like the Oilers.

4-5 times a game they both make bad defensive mistakes and the really good teams will kill them for it. Lots of high flying offensive players but defensively, they have too many lapses.

[stratguy]

Originally Posted by Blansky

Better. But still too many 'kid mistakes' in their own end. Much like the Oilers.

4-5 times a game they both make bad defensive mistakes and the really good teams will kill them for it. Lots of high flying offensive players but defensively, they have too many lapses.

Over the past few years, Toronto's defense has not been as good as their offense - that is for certain.

[RichM]

Originally Posted by Rich Mickol

Let’s go Rangers ............ Let’s Go Rangers .............

Well, so much for that!

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by stratguy

Over the past few years, Toronto's defense has not been as good as their offense - that is for certain.

I think Dubas is an egghead who thinks theoretically and with not enough real hockey sense.

Far too many soft skilled players and not enough grit or defensively minded players. Even when he finds D they are always offensive and don't think like real defensemen. Basically they are forwards, playing D. They constantly think offense. Not defense.

That's one reason he and Babcock had a falling out.

[stratguy]

Originally Posted by Blansky

I think Dubas is an egghead who thinks theoretically and with not enough real hockey sense.

Far too many soft skilled players and not enough grit or defensively minded players. Even when he finds D they are always offensive and don't think like real defensemen. Basically they are forwards, playing D. They constantly think offense. Not defense.

That's one reason he and Babcock had a falling out.

Last night's game was hard to watch.

[brandrea]

The coma continues ...

[stratguy]

That was 4 minutes of crazy hockey last night. What an ending!

[Hollie_Rollie]

My penguins are out! That was probably the laziest series I’ve ever seen them play. If I wasn’t a fan I would’ve switched to another game. There have been some wildly exciting games.

I expect the pens to clean house after that disappointment. They played their way out of the bubble