The Ditch part deux

From what I read, it was the sixth longest game ever, period. Regular season or playoffs. I could be wrong, though - I didn't get much sleep last night.

Bobrovsky is on another level, right now. Him being so inconsistent / unhealthy this year is what led me to say that they weren't even going to make the playoffs, let alone make an impact. Of course, he comes back and is just lights out. Whatever he's doing, it's working.

Tkachuck grew a lot this year. When he first came aboard, I was wary of the antics - he was hurting the team in crucial situations with his pest behavior. Doesn't make sense to have a guy like that in the penalty box, either. But as the season has gone on, he's gotten a lot better at staying on the right side of that line, and being an asset more than a hindrance. Definitely a huge addition for the team.

I thought that it would be a net positive, adding him but losing Huby and Weegar. I just thought it would take another year to show up, because the team's depth was rough and they had dead money freeing up next season. Turns out, they knew what they were doing. Should be a fun series, if game one is any indication.

 

Congrats DLine ..........the nice thing about been on the West Coast I can stay up and watch a Marathon Game....lol

That was a Very good Hockey Game.......Panthers have peaked at the right time and Bob is standing on his head.

Good luck in the series.

 

2 games in the CF's, 2 OT's... pretty cool.

Tonight at 8pm eastern... Canes vs Cats

 

Sorta shocking... NOT!

Dubas out as Maple Leafs general manager

TORONTO -- Kyle Dubas will not return as general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs next season.

Maple Leafs president and alternate governor Brendan Shanahan said they "decided to part ways with Dubas," whose five-year contract will expire June 30, despite attempting to come to an agreement on a new deal throughout the past week.

"No I wouldn't characterize it as breaking down over money," Shanahan said Friday. "Knowing and recognizing on Monday after the (end-of-season) availability, when a general manager is playing out the last year of his contract, there's always the contingency that you might need a new general manager, he might choose to go to a another team. I think I felt I had got a little bit closer and had some indications we were going to work this out.

"I would say after the press conference on Monday, I was less sure and I thought there was a real possibility he might not want to do this and as he said, take a step back. At that point, I hadn't ruled Kyle Dubas out, but I certainly had to make sure I was thinking of other options."

Dubas was promoted to GM on May 11, 2018, taking over for Lou Lamoriello, after joining the Maple Leafs on July 22, 2014, as an assistant GM. He was 221-109-42 as Toronto GM, a position he assumed at 32 years old.

At locker cleanout day, three days after Toronto was eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs by the Florida Panthersin five games in the best-of-7 Eastern Conference Second Round, Dubas said he intended to speak with his family prior to deciding whether he wanted to return as GM.

"My family is a hugely important part of what I do, so for me to commit to anything without having a fuller understanding of what this year took on them is probably unfair for me to answer where I am at," Dubas said. "We haven't been able to have those full discussions yet, but it was very hard, the year on them, and thus it's tough for me."

Shanahan said he approached Dubas after the NHL Trade Deadline on March 3 and said he wanted him to be the GM going forward. Dubas told Shanahan to negotiate with his agent since he didn't want to be distracted during the end of the regular season.

Shanahan and Dubas' agent started working on a contract, and the day before breakup day, Shanahan gave Dubas the offer.

"On Sunday, we had the team photo and went up to my office," Shanahan said. "I had another good conversation with Kyle. I presented him with what I thought was a framework that reflected what his agent and I had talked to at a good finishing place in the effort to get this done as soon as possible. Kyle took it, he seemed fine, he seemed pleased to receive that news so quickly."

However, on breakup day, Dubas said he wasn't sure he wanted to continue as GM, and Shanahan said he started looking for other options.

"I think we discussed the day before it was a concern for him," Shanahan said. "I didn't expect he was going to go out and put that to the public, but nevertheless, it made it all more real and all more serious and presented certainly lots of questions. I have no issue with Kyle's honesty, Kyle's emotions. I think Kyle is an honest person. … I do think it is a massive privilege to be able to play or work in the National Hockey League but that's not to underscore that it is difficult for all athletes in all cities and management as well."

On Thursday, the agent called Shanahan and presented a new financial package. Dubas also emailed Shanahan on Thursday saying he wanted to return, though at that point, Shanahan suggested his thought process had changed.

"A gap had risen within the contract status, but nevertheless the email I received from Kyle, I just felt differently, and I felt the long-term future of the Maple Leafs may have to change," Shanahan said. "I woke up [Friday] morning, drove to his office and told him we would not be renewing his contract.

"This was ultimately my decision."

Dubas had been linked to other NHL jobs in recent weeks but took himself out of the running Monday for any job except for remaining with the Maple Leafs.

"What I would say is I definitely don't have it in me to go anywhere else, so it will either be here or it will be taking time to recalibrate and reflect on the seasons here," Dubas said. "But you won't see me next week pop up elsewhere. I can't put [my family] through that after this year."

Shanahan said there is urgency to fill the position sooner rather than later. He suggested his preference would be to hire someone with experience as a GM but that he would not limit the search to candidates of that nature.

"Not going to do it in a hastily way, but I do think it's a priority and it has to happen rather soon," he said. "I'm going to be open-minded to who that person can be. Certainly having an experienced general manager would be an attractive quality. … I'm not ruling anybody out at this point. I've told you some of the things that would be attractive to me but I'm not ruling out any possibilities in a future general manager."

The Maple Leafs had the fifth-highest points percentage in the NHL since Dubas took over (.651) and qualified for the playoffs in each of his five seasons as GM but only advanced past the first round this season.

"I don't see Kyle coming here as a failure in any way," Shanahan said. "Kyle was instrumental in where this organization is today. I've got to think about how do we get where we want to go in the the future and what are the best ways for us to be better. What are new ideas and new thoughts?"

In part; NHL.com

 

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Matthew Tkachuk scored at 1:51 of overtime to give the Florida Panthers a 2-1 win against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final at PNC Arena on Saturday.

Tkachuk scored 12 seconds into a power play when he buried a shot near the right post off a tic-tac-toe passing play with Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart.

It was Tkachuk's second straight game as the overtime hero for the Panthers after he scored with 13 seconds left in the fourth overtime of a 3-2 win in Game 1 on Thursday.

"Great pass to start by 'Bennie' and a great pass by 'Rhino' there to make it really, really easy for me," Tkachuk said. "I just feel like we get better as the game goes along, so hopefully we continue that trend."

Game 3 of the best-of-7 series will be in Florida on Monday.
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So, its 2-0 FLA in the series... this really is incredible stuff happening and Tkachuk has turned into Super Man in an instant.. he and Bob are amazing to watch.

Im not sure the Canes are going to have an answer for this, but still games to play and crazier shit has happened.

 

Dallas and Vegas go at 3pm eastern today. Gary still being a dipshit commissioner by having a CF playoff game in the middle of the day.

 

I agree Will and WHY did the NHL do this ???.....is it because of the Basketball Game is tonight in Miami

This game is Noon my time.....it's a sunny out here and I like watching Hockey at Night.

Gary (Bendover) Bettman is a "Dipshit".

 

lol, I know nothing about a basketball game. The game is not in FLA, its in Vegas, where the players hit the ice at 12 or 1, some stupid shit like that. If Gary is/was worried about that, he has more issues than I give him credit for. CF's belong in Prime Time, period.

 

Kudos DLine.........your Panthers are going to the Cup.

Looking like they will play the Golden Knights for Lord Stanley's Grail.

 

We get an extra day off in the CUP Final and I think this will help the Panthers.

Tough decision to make.....do they go with BOB in net or play Lyon ?

Vegas is playing Lites out and I'm thinking Jack Eichel will get the Conn Smythe.

 

NHL is over for 2023..........I'm thinking the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year will go down in the History books as the year of Upsets.

Congrats to the Las Vegas Golden Knights for Hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup.

And Kudos to DLine for his Florida Panthers and making the Final.

This is going to be an EXCELLENT Draft year with at least 6 very good prospect to be Drafted.

.............Thank You and Good Night.........

 

NBA and NHL a ton of upsets but in the end it's the 1 seed of a conference winning it over an 8 seed from the other.

 

NHL Draft.........I'm thinking the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets did well last night.

We all knew Blackhawks would take Bedard.....but they got Taylor Hall in a trade and he will help with Connor.

Blue Jackets get Fantelli..........Yahoo Buckaroo great #3 pick.....I hope a lot of Cleveland Brown Fans jump on their Bandwagon.