NHL 23-24

[wadesworld]

Between this series and Celtics-Mavs, I can't remember the last time we had two such uncompetitive finals series the same year.

Yeah. Pretty boring unfortunately.

[PGsHeroes32]

Its been a very dull playoffs for both the NBA and NHL overall this year. Damn shame.

[PGsHeroes32]

McDavid broke the single post season assist record.

Unfortunately this Panthers team is way too deep, so it won’t amount to much

[PGsHeroes32]

Win or lose this series, the Conn has to go to McDavid.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

This series is getting insane. McDavid is starting to take it over on one end.

[MuggsyB]

That last dime  going coast to coast was seriously sick from McDavid. 

[MuggsyB]

The Stanley Cup just got a lot more interesting. 

[BM1090]

The Stanley Cup just got a lot more interesting.

I don't follow hockey closely but if Edmonton forces a game 7, I will certainly tune in. Would be a lot of fun.

[PGsHeroes32]

Win or lose this series, the Conn has to go to McDavid.

It would be utter insanity if it didnt actually

[Pakuni]

It would be utter insanity if it didnt actually

Wouldn't hold your breath. Conn Smythe hasn't gone to a losing player since 2003. It hasn't gone to a skater on a losing team since 1976, and that guy scored 19 goals in 16 games (McDavid now has 8 goals in 23 games).

[PGsHeroes32]

Wouldn't hold your breath. Conn Smythe hasn't gone to a losing player since 2003. It hasn't gone to a skater on a losing team since 1976, and that guy scored 19 goals in 16 games (McDavid now has 8 goals in 23 games).

He's also got 34 assists which is the NHL record over Gretzky by 3 now.

Also the Panthers are deep as hell, its kinda the point of that roster to not really have a MVP

[Pakuni]

He's also got 34 assists which is the NHL record over Gretzky by 3 now.

FWIW, Gretzky was on the losing end of two Finals. Didn't win the Conn Smythe in either, including '83, when he scored 12-26-38 in 16 games (2.38 PPG). For comparison's sake, McDavid is at 1.82 PPG this playoffs.
Disagree all you want, but skaters on losing teams tend not to win playoff MVP awards. Even when they put up a lot of points.

Also the Panthers are deep as hell, its kinda the point of that roster to not really have a MVP

Deep teams shouldn't get a playoff MVP?

[PGsHeroes32]

FWIW, Gretzky was on the losing end of two Finals. Didn't win the Conn Smythe in either, including '83, when he scored 12-26-38 in 16 games (2.38 PPG). For comparison's sake, McDavid is at 1.82 PPG this playoffs.
Disagree all you want, but skaters on losing teams tend not to win playoff MVP awards. Even when they put up a lot of points.

Deep teams shouldn't get a playoff MVP?

Did I say shouldn't?

No, Im saying they are deep as hell and that's the point of their roster. They don't have one guy carrying them. Tkachuk is the only player averaging 1 PPG(exactly 1 PPG). But they have 8 other guys in double figures. And a goalie looking more human recently.

The Conn Smythe is a MVP of the whole playoffs. They truly do not have that. Its part of what also makes them so good.

McDavid has been head and shoulders above anyone, hence why he should win it. And has a chance to do so.

[MU82]

Pak, who would you pick as MVP of the playoffs if you had the opportunity to vote?

[Pakuni]

Pak, who would you pick as MVP of the playoffs if you had the opportunity to vote?

I'd lean Bobrovskry, despite the last couple games. He's allowed two or fewer goals in 15 of 22 playoff games so far, and stole a couple games in this series.

To be clear, I'm not saying McDavid would be undeserving or a bad choice. Just that skaters on losing teams getting the Smythe is exceptionally rare. Once in 59 years, to be exact, and it took a guy scoring at better than goal-per-game pace for it to happen.

[MU82]

OK thanks. Absolutely agree on rarity of losing-team player getting MVP.

I'd lean toward McDavid, but Bobrovsky would be my second choice right now. If he has a couple more bad games and Florida wins anyway, it's hard to find another player on the Panthers deserving though.

[PGsHeroes32]

OK thanks. Absolutely agree on rarity of losing-team player getting MVP.

I'd lean toward McDavid, but Bobrovsky would be my second choice right now. If he has a couple more bad games and Florida wins anyway, it's hard to find another player on the Panthers deserving though.

Big thing McDavid has going for him is obviously breaking a record by the Great one and leading all skaters in scoring by a massive margin.

The one other time a skater won the Conn as a loser it was similar with a goal scoring record. The clear cut highest scorer against a balanced team.

Flip over to playoff Bob, his GAA average would be the highest since 1990 as a winner. And he’s got a worst save % then that 1990 winner due to how good Florida is in front of him he faces lower volume.

It would be unprecedented. But Florida just really doesn’t have a true viable option

[MU82]

Big thing McDavid has going for him is obviously breaking a record by the Great one and leading all skaters in scoring by a massive margin.

The one other time a skater won the Conn as a loser it was similar with a goal scoring record. The clear cut highest scorer against a balanced team.

Flip over to playoff Bob, his GAA average would be the highest since 1990 as a winner. And he’s got a worst save % then that 1990 winner due to how good Florida is in front of him he faces lower volume.

It would be unprecedented. But Florida just really doesn’t have a true viable option

Let's say Florida wins tomorrow night 4-2. A Bobrovsky voter can justify it by saying: "He was the main reason the team got to the SCF and the main reason the team won the first 3 games vs Edmonton. So throw out his stats in the 2 relatively meaningless games (G4 and G5), and he's playoff MVP. Besides, where was the great McDavid when Edmonton was being stoned by Bobrovsky in the first 3 games of the SCF?"

I'm not saying that's the right or wrong way to think. I'm just saying that it's not very difficult to justify Bobrovsky over McDavid that way.

[PGsHeroes32]

Let's say Florida wins tomorrow night 4-2. A Bobrovsky voter can justify it by saying: "He was the main reason the team got to the SCF and the main reason the team won the first 3 games vs Edmonton. So throw out his stats in the 2 relatively meaningless games (G4 and G5), and he's playoff MVP. Besides, where was the great McDavid when Edmonton was being stoned by Bobrovsky in the first 3 games of the SCF?"

I'm not saying that's the right or wrong way to think. I'm just saying that it's not very difficult to justify Bobrovsky over McDavid that way.

They could.

But cherry picking would be an even more unheard of vote.

Since like I said there a reason Bobs numbers would be easily the worst since at least 1990.

Also McDavid did still have 3 pts in 3 losses. So the same PPG as the panthers best player all playoffs.

That’s mostly my point. McDavid even at his worst is clearly the most valuable player. And also the beauty of this Panthers two year run is just how much of a wagon they are top to bottom

McDavid deserves the award and imo it would properly award him while also in a way praising all of the panthers

[MuggsyB]

Uhhhhhh...... Florida has been an unmitigated disaster in G6. 

[JWags85]

Oilers blow the doors off the Panthers to force a Game 7…with McDavid not contributing any of the points on the Oilers 5 goals and probably having his “worst” game of the series.   Pretty wild.

Now we have a really unique dueling set of pressures.  Florida with the pressure of not blowing a 3-0 lead and the Oilers, who would arguably be the freest and most at ease given their momentum…have the Canadian curse on their badk

[MU82]

Disappointed they didn’t spread the playoffs out even more. Would be nice to have 2024 SC Final wrap up in 2027 or so.

[MuggsyB]

Congrats to Florida.

[PGsHeroes32]

Called it, historic playoff + a team with no dominant player=Losing player Conn Smythe

I am a bit surprised he still got it after 2 goose eggs. But goes to show it really wasnt even close when I said it game 5 then.

[PGsHeroes32]

Uhhhhhh...... Florida has been an unmitigated disaster in G6.

No longer a unmitigated disaster

Wondering if their fans will go out and do some celebratory panther poaching. They deserve it.