Well, every year when the Caps (inevitably) collapse*, I switch over to cheering for the (equally snakebit) Canucks. That’s not an option this year, so I guess it’s on to cheering for the Blues…
The Kessel, Hagelin and Bonino line has played so well. Rutherford has done an excellent job of building depth behind Crosby and Malkin since taking over from Shero. I think the Caps played hard but it just wasn’t enough. Both teams had periods of foggy play and both took some dumb penalties.
The NHL absolutely has to take another look at that ridiculous delay of game rule. The referees’ discretion should be restored. It makes sense for something to be automatic if it affects the possibility of a player being injured but for this rule, it’s just plain stupid.
Caps were eliminated by the Rangers the last three times. Lundqvist is no “hot-for-one-season” goaltender.
Hyperbole is the greatest thing ever
Save percentage doesn’t lie, @Chardo.
But it masks more important stats, like wins.
Holtby is certainly great, but claiming a guy is “one of the greatest playoff goalies in modern history of the game” when he has never been past the second round is a bit much.
I look at all the undeniably great players in the history of the NHL (possibly more than any of the other major professional sports leagues) who never won a championship, and I really can’t think that being on a winning team is even remotely close to the most important measure of a hockey player.
But if you’re gonna call someone the “greatest playoff goalie”, that does require actually winning in the playoffs.
Okay, one more post on this subthread, and then I’m done with it
To begin: A thought experiment.
Consider a goalie who is spectacularly better than anyone else in the playoffs. (I’m not talking Holtby, or Lundqvist, or Roy, or Hainsworth, or anyone—I want you to imagine one better than anyone has ever been.) Now imagine said goalie with no scoring support. The odds that goalie wins a lot of playoff series? Very, very low.
It’s similar if you consider other positions—a scorer better than Gretzky won’t win a lot of playoff series with a sieve of a goalie. The best defenseman ever isn’t on the ice for enough of a game to prevent things going wrong for a game overall. And so on.
Hockey is a team sport, and appears to be less amenable to success based on individual ability than other team sports. (This is not unique to hockey, of course—consider that Michael Jordan didn’t win a title until Scottie Pippen showed up, to oversimplify a bit.) This is one reason it’s quite so interesting debating the merits of individual hockey players, really.
But seriously, consider what you’re claiming—would you say that Pat LaFontaine and Pierre Turgeon (and Mike Liut and Dan Bouchard, to throw a couple goalies out there) weren’t among the greatest of all time at their positions, including (particularly LaFontaine) in the playoffs, just because their teams didn’t win it all?
ETA: Also, “one of the greatest” is what I said. I never claimed “the greatest”, and there’s a pretty huge difference.
Of current goalies, my guess would be that Lundquist and probably Fleury would be at the top of that list?
That argument might apply to Holtby if he had no supporting cast. When you have the (legitimate) greatest scorer of his generation, and all-stars throughout the roster, you can’t say he had no help.
And I wouldn’t say Liut or Bouchard were even remotely close to greatest of all time (or even their own era, for that matter), regardless of their lack of playoff success.
I love a good debate, but we should probably take it over to hfboards…
A little surprised by Dallas last night but happy that the Blues are moving on. Although I understand disappointment from fans, I never understand how in a Game 7, after your team has played well all season, you get up and leave long before the game is over.
Shark night! All fingers and toes crossed.
^ I can understand. It’s a sickening feeling, you just want to get out of there.
Trust me, Chardo, I know about sickening feelings. I am a Leafs fan. 
I still don’t understand how true fans wouldn’t stay and at least show some appreciation for the season they’ve had. Heck, the Flyers’ fans gave them a standing ovation when they lost in Game 6 to the Caps. Different cities, different fanbases, different levels of knowledgable fans, I suppose create different responses.
^ As a Leafs fan, that sickening feeling usually comes in the regular season
Flyers game 6 was a 1-0 game. Of course the fans stayed to the end. Might have been different if they were getting blown out. Also, just by making the playoffs their season was a success. Dallas fans had much higher expectations. Even the Dallas players didn’t want to stay. If you noticed, after the handshakes, they gathered at center ice to salute the fans, but obviously wanted to be anywhere else.
Give us a few years! 
I have to admit, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the Leafs, dating back to my first experience with hockey in the 1970s. I mean, I wouldn’t cheer for them over my Caps, but it’s a close thing, really.
It’s tough being a Leafs fan but we love them anyway. The last several years haven’t been much fun but at least there’s a glimmer of hope now. With all the excellent young players in the system and the soon to be addition of Auston Matthews, with Babcock, Shanahan and Lamoriello running the show, it has to improve, right? I think they did the right thing getting rid of Kessel and Phaneuf, and keeping Kadri, Reilly, Gardner, Van Reimsdyk, Lupul, Bozak, Komarov. Now with the added cap room, if the Stamkos rumors come to fruition, you just never know.
What’s everyone predicting for tonight’s game? Although I think the Sharks will likely take it, I’ll cheer for David Poile’s Predators.
They’re remarkably like the Rangers. Original 6, owned by giant media/telecom company, play in the largest city in the country, huge fan base, sell out every game, unlimited budget, popular free agent destination, perennial failure. Basically they’re like the Yankees, without all that winning. I mean, 50 years, 100 seasons combined, only 4 trips to the finals (all by the Rangers). With all they have going for them, it’s mind boggling.
dfbdfb, spend a little time rooting for the Sharks before they lose tonight and you can move on to the Blues.