I would say it's 100% completely random. Eventually, over the course of 100 years of NHL hockey, there mathematically has to be a guy goes 1-7 in games sevens and doesn't deserve to have had that record.

I mean, given the parity in the NHL, at worst he should be 3-5.

But if you don't want to admit the role that luck plays in life, you have to start asking whether you earned what you have, which you didn't. Not really. Luck is the biggest factor in everything. I mean, what did I do to be born in the safest place in the world at the peak of human civilization to intelligent caring parents? What did I do to earn the ability to remember almost everything I read and thus be able to pass tests with ease?

Not saying I didn't have to work hard to get where I am, but I had a lot a lot a lot of help. If we recognized this on a larger scale, I think we'd all be much nicer to each other.
- James_Tanner

I think saying it's 100% random is a little extreme. I mean it's not like all of the game 7's were in the conference finals where the opposing team had to go through a few others to get to the Ducks.

I think the biggest thing luck does is change the perception of certain teams.

Like the Bills, they are viewed as epic failures more notably than being a great team.

Owners sometimes have a different agenda than just winning. You fail to account for that. I think you're completely wrong in stating that GM's are just as misinformed as the average fan, most of the time.

One coach firing doesn't prove anything. James, have you ever thought of throwing your name into the hat for a GM job? You know so much about how to use analytics, and know that GM's are misinformed. You could set them all straight.
- MJL

I would make a great GM - not because I'm a hockey expert (I'm not) but because I know how to delegate authority and how to get the best out of people. I also know how to run a meeting and am good at taking a whole bunch of conflicting opinions and vetting the information for something good.

But I have no chance of being an NHL Gm because I never played in the NHL and neither did my Dad.

Add in the fact that I am the best at negotiating and it's clear I would be the next Scotty Bowman. (Note: I really am not the best at negotiating, but if you say that enough you get to be President, so I'm just going to start saying it all the time).

I think saying it's 100% random is a little extreme. I mean it's not like all of the game 7's were in the conference finals where the opposing team had to go through a few others to get to the Ducks.

I think the biggest thing luck does is change the perception of certain teams.

Like the Bills, they are viewed as epic failures more notably than being a great team.
- sbroads24

I didn't mean it's 100% luck that they didn't win every time, what I meant was that his 1-7 record is purely luck based. If he played a hundred sets of 8 game sevens, he's only going to end up 1-7 a very low percentage of the time.

I mean, even if he was the worst coach ever and legitimately choked in high pressure games, it's nearly impossible that he wouldn't have a more even record, just based on the parity of the league.

I would make a great GM - not because I'm a hockey expert (I'm not) but because I know how to delegate authority and how to get the best out of people. I also know how to run a meeting and am good at taking a whole bunch of conflicting opinions and vetting the information for something good.

But I have no chance of being an NHL Gm because I never played in the NHL and neither did my Dad.

Add in the fact that I am the best at negotiating and it's clear I would be the next Scotty Bowman. (Note: I really am not the best at negotiating, but if you say that enough you get to be President, so I'm just going to start saying it all the time).
- James_Tanner

ok you are now trying to troll, there is no way you actually believe that

I would make a great GM - not because I'm a hockey expert (I'm not) but because I know how to delegate authority and how to get the best out of people. I also know how to run a meeting and am good at taking a whole bunch of conflicting opinions and vetting the information for something good.

But I have no chance of being an NHL Gm because I never played in the NHL and neither did my Dad.

Add in the fact that I am the best at negotiating and it's clear I would be the next Scotty Bowman. (Note: I really am not the best at negotiating, but if you say that enough you get to be President, so I'm just going to start saying it all the time).
- James_Tanner

Geez James, at least give me something to work with, instead of a post that completely refutes itself.

I would make a great GM - not because I'm a hockey expert (I'm not) but because I know how to delegate authority and how to get the best out of people. I also know how to run a meeting and am good at taking a whole bunch of conflicting opinions and vetting the information for something good.

But I have no chance of being an NHL Gm because I never played in the NHL and neither did my Dad.

Add in the fact that I am the best at negotiating and it's clear I would be the next Scotty Bowman. (Note: I really am not the best at negotiating, but if you say that enough you get to be President, so I'm just going to start saying it all the time).
- James_Tanner

#Tannerfied

Enjoy your Duck Dynasty marathon. Priceless

ok you are now trying to troll, there is no way you actually believe that
- DDM-Coga

Yeah man, I'm of course just messing around. There are probably thousands of great candidates to be a real GM in the NHL that don't get a shot because they don't have ins to the game, and I do think that some teams could gain an edge by looking outside the traditional system for talent, but I am not one of them.

Homi is slow

It's a good question, complicated by the fact that both teams have guys on their management teams who are pretty old-school. I think teams need to have guys with a range of skill-sets and ages, and they also need depth players.

Polak was signed by Toronto to be basically an assistant coach - he'll be a leader and he'll sit in the press-box most nights.

Schenn is a different thing altogether because he's younger and potentially has some upside. But essentially, he's a depth move as well.

Not to mention that you never really know what teams are looking for. Yeah, those are analytic based teams (or thought to be) but they aren't exactly sharing their information.
- James_Tanner

Ummm, I don't believe this is going to happen. Let's not get too carried away...Polak>Schenn

I'd bet he plays 15 mins/night ALL YEAR.

Ummm, I don't believe this is going to happen. Let's not get too carried away...Polak>Schenn

I'd bet he plays 15 mins/night ALL YEAR.
- Garnie

The Leafs have Gardiner, Rielly, Marincin, Carrick, Zaitsev pretty much locked in (barring trades) to their top five. This leaves Hunwick and Polak to battle for the last spot, assuming no additions or prospects enter the fray.

It's like choosing between old coats in the lost and found, but I doubt Polak is a regular starter.

The Leafs have Gardiner, Rielly, Marincin, Carrick, Zaitsev pretty much locked in (barring trades) to their top five. This leaves Hunwick and Polak to battle for the last spot, assuming no additions or prospects enter the fray.

It's like choosing between old coats in the lost and found, but I doubt Polak is a regular starter.
- James_Tanner

You could be right...I think he plays more than you think....I don't mind Polak...you can't have the puck all the time...it's nice to have a guy that will use his body to block shots/clear the net/hammer guys from behind etc....will see in Oct I guess.

The Leafs have Gardiner, Rielly, Marincin, Carrick, Zaitsev pretty much locked in (barring trades) to their top five. This leaves Hunwick and Polak to battle for the last spot, assuming no additions or prospects enter the fray.

It's like choosing between old coats in the lost and found, but I doubt Polak is a regular starter.
- James_Tanner

Gardiner is elite right?

It is my experience that players who are great at offense and terrible at defense are scouted terribly. Also, when guys are bad in the room, it's usually BS. In hockey, if you have a personality at all and don't obey your orders like a robot, then you get labeled bad in the room. It happens so often I dismiss 100% of it.


The Coyotes are weak on D so Deangelo will get a shot to make the NHL. Maybe he doesn't. Who knows at this point?
- James_Tanner

First I will agree the "bad in the room" crap is stupid. His "history" as a problem child didn't stem from room issues. They were racial remarks directed at an official. His AHL healthy scratches stemmed from his struggles on the defensive end.

My biggest issue is the bolded. With this statement you are implying the Bolts (and others) aren't good at scouting. Well take a look at our (frank)ing roster and see the talent NOT drafted in the top rounds (Palat 7th) OR not even drafted at all (Tyler Johnson). Deangelo will be an NHLer one day. Is he ready this year and even moreso is he ready for top 4 NHL duty? Well the answer to that is absolutely no. If he was ready he wouldn't have been traded b/c again one simple look down the Bolts roster and you see the absolute need for a RHD and even moreso the absolute need for a RH PP point guy both of which Deangelo "could" fill.

The Bolts didn't "give up" on Deangelo. They liked the Hajek kid ALOT and their own words spell out to make the trade to get the pick for Hajek it HAD to be Deangelo as the cost in picks as too high. Either way, the issue isn't Deangelo's talent which he has plenty of. This issue is Deangelo learning how to play in the NHL with that talent. For someone who puts so much emphasis on analytics you sure have made Deangelo your golden boy with nothing to back it up. Or if you do have numbers to back up your premise then I will gladly tip my cap. Until then your Deangelo talk looks more like homerism than heroism

RIP Miss Cleo

RIP Miss Cleo
- Tumbleweed

You know it!

You know it!
- James_Tanner

Sorry for your loss

RIP Miss Cleo
- Tumbleweed

Don't worry...
She would have seen it coming long ago.

Sorry for your loss
- sniper11

No loss. He still hears her voice in his head.

Sure, why not? It was the most important part of my education. It really helped me with deductive reasoning, for instance, I know that you don't have any training in that field by how clever you think you're being right now.
- James_Tanner

Interested to see what you think about the Murphy deal, Tanner.

Interested to see what you think about the Murphy deal, Tanner.
- Mordecai

Stone too. He just signed. Can't wait for the H.E.R.O charts.