The whole format blows dollars into millionaires pockets. Top sixteen with best of sevens's would have at least appeared to be legitimate in the minds of most serious hockey fans. But let's face it. It has been a cash grab from the get go and this comes before NHLPA has voted on any of the finer points of Bettman/Daley's proposal. Hub cities appear to be leaning to the South. No complaints from most Canadians on this score. It seems slightly less than disingenuous to say we are concerned about the Stanley Cup being awarded after locking the players out for a full season. This attempt to salvage a season that has issues far more important than professional sports has a bad scent to it. What is the feasability of success??

Farce. NHL is grabbing cash...habs will lose in 3 possibly 5 if Price stands on his head....the eye is on the prize...Rossi or Perfetti at #8....anything less is a huge disappointment

Pens sweep

Must see TV. You reall y are a loser. 3 months and these are the best stories you can come up with Ek? Try a little hard work and put something together worthy of responses.

Be it you are a Habs fan and you have EVERY right to be excited about it, you cannot ignore the gift the NHL gave you all and how crap it is. You have to know that if the Habs were locked in and had to participate in a play in round that you would feel the same as we do.

That said, that Halak series was dreadful and what scares me most. In a 5 gam series a goalie getting hot changes everything.

The Habs haven’t seen a healthy Pens squad this season, while it is far from a lock, if the Pens lose it is on them.
- Doogs

Gift? Not so sure; As a lifelong habs fan, I'd rather sit it out and hope for a great draft pick in a rich draft year. But, of course it will be great to see them in a playoff game, which we haven't seen in 3 years. Habs didn't ask for it, but it is what it is. That said, Habs could surprise. Habs are healthy too.

Pens in 3, if the Habs are smart.

Pens in 5 if the Habs manage to win game 4.......

The anarchist in me says Canadians, and I don't care how many games. In fact, I hope they win the cup, in a final with Chicago.

The level of whining and gnashing of teeth on this site will be biblical.

I hate the the NHL Did This. But we as Pens fans have little right to complain. Yes our team was hurt a ton, but we just went through a losing streak right before the break that dropped them into 3rd. So unfortunately, if there is a play-in round, the Pens "deserve" to be in it.

I am scared to death of this. Not because of Price. He could steal a game. But because the fast Canadiens are the type that give the Pens fits.... And they have no pressure, nothing to lose.

2010 Pens lost because of 1)Marc Andre Fleury's woeful performance in that series 2) Halak standing on his head. Despite how well Halak played, Fleury gifted the Canadiens Games 4-6-7 with some of his worst playoff games outside of Philadelphia 2012.

If this Pens team loses it will be again because their goaltenders played worse than Montreal's. If either Murray or Jarry matches Price, Pens win.

Malkin wants to be The Man.


- gergeswillems

I watched this happen live...glorious. The Habs fans around me didnt think so though...

I admit that it is exciting to be in Montreal when the Habs are in the playoffs, but this just feels wrong. I'm not sure my excitement to have MTL (my 2nd team) in the playoffs can overcome my guilt. I will probably root for Carey Price to have a great series but for the Pens to sweep because MTL in this playoff makes the league look like a joke.

I can't remember another time when the other leagues could make fun of the NHL. The NBA is currently making jokes about the NHL's 24team structure. It is sounding like the NBA's most likely scenario is a 16 team playoff with a play-in round for bubble teams. (sound familiar?). They may even continue the regular season.

MTL, NYR, CHI, ARZ should be nowhere near this post-season. I'll bet 2 or 3 of them win their little money-grab series as well. (Hopefully it's not CHI! haha)

I hate the the NHL Did This. But we as Pens fans have little right to complain. Yes our team was hurt a ton, but we just went through a losing streak right before the break that dropped them into 3rd. So unfortunately, if there is a play-in round, the Pens "deserve" to be in it.

I am scared to death of this. Not because of Price. He could steal a game. But because the fast Canadiens are the type that give the Pens fits.... And they have no pressure, nothing to lose.

2010 Pens lost because of 1)Marc Andre Fleury's woeful performance in that series 2) Halak standing on his head. Despite how well Halak played, Fleury gifted the Canadiens Games 4-6-7 with some of his worst playoff games outside of Philadelphia 2012.

If this Pens team loses it will be again because their goaltenders played worse than Montreal's. If either Murray or Jarry matches Price, Pens win.
- Amanion

As a Habs fan, I didn't want this, believe me. I didn't suffer this horrible season just to see them potentially screw up their 1st round pick selection for a mini tournament of shinny hockey in an empty arena God knows where.

Please dont sh*t the bed pens, beat us so we can get our deserved top 10 pick.

What’s all this holier-than-thou cash grab stuff? Making money is not a zero-sum game. When was the last time it was? What a farce. People know that, right? They’re not forcibly in your pockets.

If you don’t like it, sounds like professional sports aren’t for you. Nobody said you had to contribute. Don’t watch.

I’d have been perfectly fine if they had canceled the season, but now that they aren’t, I’m certainly not going to go around complaining about the millionaires/billionaires cash grab thing.what a bunch of Paladin BS.