Das 2025-2026 NHL Regular Season Thread: If Connor McDavid were a real team player, he’d sign for the league minimum

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Per Dom's Athletic model, the JERTS are at 13% to make the playoffs; the Kings at 76.

I'm agnostic about the JERTS making it (another first round romp at the hands of the Avs doesn't sound fun) but it should be illegal for the Kings to make the playoffs and not play of the Oilers

Some good monkey's paw stuff with "We want to make the playoffs and not play the Oilers this time!" "OK, wish granted"

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Broons and SNES leading

[Grand Moff Larkin]

BLOT score the winner with like a minute left

Doesn’t look like the Isles are going to do it

[sutterfamily]

Ottawa moved ahead of Boston with that one, dang. Didn't think they had a shot of tracking them down. Wings are the only team that can knock them out now.

Brady left the game in the second with a weird injury, couldn't tell what happened. Not ideal.

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Oh no not Brady

[Grand Moff Larkin]

Congratulations to the Ottawa Senators and their fans, except for Brady Tkachuk and Ridly Grieg who should fall in a well

[Alexei Ca$hin]

How we feeling SNES fans?!

[Alexei Ca$hin]

[sutterfamily]

I'm feeling good - with all the team went through this year and how well they played pretty much wall-to-wall all season, they gave themselves a shot and earned their way in.

I feel like, given the d zone play and structure + good team play, they should* be a tough matchup for anyone. I reallllllly don't wanna play the Habs, tho, just feels like they lose to them every time. Caufield seems like he can score on any shot right now, too. I don't really love Montreal's overall team play but just don't feel good about it as a series for Ottawa.

TBH I was fairly ok with them playing Carolina and then being in the Metropolitan bracket since it feels a bit less intense than the Atlantic but, hey, can't complain.

*The main thing they really need is for Ullmark to stay in this groove which, also being honest, I'm not extremely confident about! If he implodes they are effed, obviously.

[sutterfamily]

Also, so good to not have to care about or watch this NJD game. Sanderson, Stutzle, Tkachuk, Chabot all out resting.

[practice]

Is it gonna be SNES v les Canadians?

[sutterfamily]

I really hope not. Can I just enjoy a round without maximum hype + overbearing fanbase and media combo?

[sutterfamily]

Conference finals would be ok

[sutterfamily]

Congratulations to the Ottawa Senators and their fans, except for Brady Tkachuk and Ridly Grieg who should fall in a well

Wish it could have been at the expense of some other team

[sutterfamily]

Was going on a "current points system sucks" exploration and figured out what the standings would look like in a 3-2-1 system and was surprised there was less differences than I expected. The two major ones would be Pittsburgh and Los Angeles OUT and Columbus/Nashville in:

East
============
Atlantic
-----------
1. BUF - 155
2. TBL - 151
3. MTL - 146

Metro
----------
1. CAR - 159
2. PHI - 131
3. CBJ - 130

WC
------
1. OTT - 138
2. BOS - 136
~~~~~~~~~~
3. PIT - 129
4. NYI - 129
5. WAS - 128
6. NJD - 125
7. DET - 122


West
============
Pacific
-----------
1. ANA - 129
2. EDM - 127
3. VGK - 125

Metro
----------
1. COL - 164
2. DAL - 152
3. MIN - 144

WC
------
1. UTA - 130
2. NAS - 120
~~~~~~~~~~
3. LAK - 117
4. SJS - 116
5. WPG - 115

[Alexei Ca$hin]

^ That seems to be the case most years when people do the exercise.

I wonder if psychologically though, it would make more teams go for it at the end of regulation in a tie game?

[Alexei Ca$hin]

I didn't want to jump the gun too early, but SNES getting Carolina and the Metro(sexual) bracket looks to be a great path for them. Agreed that avoiding Tampa and Mtl in the first round would be preferred.

[sutterfamily]

^ That seems to be the case most years when people do the exercise.

I wonder if psychologically though, it would make more teams go for it at the end of regulation in a tie game?

Oh, true! you can't just apply the points accrued in the current system that doesn't incentivize the reg win more and say teams would play the same, good point (ha). I did expect more of a difference tho, especially with teams like the Flyers that are somewhat OTW/SOW merchants.

[sutterfamily]

I didn't want to jump the gun too early, but SNES getting Carolina and the Metro(sexual) bracket looks to be a great path for them. Agreed that avoiding Tampa and Mtl in the first round would be preferred.

Yeah. Like, it's weird to say "I hope they play the literal best team in the conference!" but (and this is definite "eat your words" later type material) it SEEMS like they match up well against the Canes based on the three games this year? They won 2 of 3 and Reim Time allowed 4 goals on 18 shots in the 4-3 loss.

[sutterfamily]

Also, the Canes are kinda in the same boat goalie-wise: you're hoping they can play average. I think Ullmark's better than Andersen or Bussi but no guarantees you get his best consistently.