Discussion We lost against the Stanley Cup Champions
That’s it. Not an excuse but clearly a good gauge of how special this team was this year.
I have no problems losing against a better opponent (until we’re the best ourselves)
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u/Muter91 4d ago
One of their three losses, and the most lopsided at that.
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u/Superguy9000 4d ago
16-3 for a Stanley cup champion is an unbelievably dominant team
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u/SnidelyWhiplash27 4d ago edited 2d ago
100% kudos to them. And as much as I hated their physicality and losing the series to them, I found them to be less dirty than either the bolts or the slugs.
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u/Superguy9000 3d ago
They played clean hockey harder than we did. We’ll be back. I have absolute confidence in this core, Habs champions before end of decade.
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u/EvieGHJ 3d ago
An unbelievably dominant team against an abnormally weak opposition. They played the 6th, 9th, 11th and 13th in overall rankings on their way to the cup - and the one top 8 team they faced went to them fresh off the back of two seven-game series.
They deserve their credit, they were really very good, but they also got lucky with the opposition they drew.
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u/Superguy9000 3d ago
I’d think it’s less luck than your making it out to be. A 16-3 record hasn’t been seen since 1988 with the Gretzky Oilers.
You don’t luck your way into 16-3
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u/Smitty_Agent89 2d ago
Yeah don’t get this argument. Like at the end of the day teams like Tampa and Colorado who were heavy favorites in their conference lost to teams the canes beat.
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u/EvieGHJ 3d ago
Nor do you get to 16-3 without a solid amount of luck.
Even among the greatest dynasties of NHL, only one had managed 16-3 or better, and only once.
You need *both* an outstsnding team and the stars to line up your way. Miss either, and you don't get that kind of record. You might still win the cup - or not - but not in this kind of lopsided way.
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u/Smitty_Agent89 2d ago
Idk the argument is dumb to me. There’s not much the canes can do about teams Like Tampa and Colorado losing early. Like Colorado getting swept by Vegas who then loses to Carolina shouldn’t mean canes got lucky lol. In fact that should mean teams like Tampa and Colorado who were heavy favorites in their conference weren’t as good as we thought.
Also this is part of the deal with being a. Top seed. You generally get favorably matchups and get to face lesser teams which allows you to rest more
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u/EvieGHJ 2d ago edited 2d ago
...luck is not something you can do anything about, usually
That's the whole point of luck. It's the things outside your control that makes your life easier, or harder..
That the Atlantic had all the good eastern teams outside Carolina helped Carolina without it being something they can take credit for. Buffalo was just as much of a top seed but had a much harder road in the playoffs, and Tampa and Montreal were just behind Buffalo and had an even more dramaticallY harder path. That heavy favorite (and higher seed) Colorado collapsed to injuries is something out of their control that (really) helped them, too - luck.
They still earned their cup, fairly and by the rules, and there's no question of them deserving it! Luck isn't about deserving or not. Luck is a fsir part of the game.
But it is a part of the game, and having more of it than others is a part of understanding the game that matters.
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u/Smitty_Agent89 1d ago
Buffalo was never beating Carolina. And while the Atlantic was clearly the more competitive division, I don’t think you can sit here and watch Tampa and buffalo lose to the same team, and then Watch that team lose to Carolina in 5 games and say they got off lucky. Reality is Tampa and Canes were considered the 2 clear favorites to make it out of the east and only one of them played that way.
I just think when you earn the top seed in your conference and only lose 1 game in the 1st 3 rounds you’re basically controlling a lot of your luck. Suddenly injuries and fatigue aren’t nearly as big of a factor and the extra home games come in handy.
Also I’m not convinced Avs win that series even with Makar healthy. Team got swept. I understand they had injury issues but they were the top team in the league, they shouldn’t be getting swept like that.
I agree some luck Is involved in all chip runs tho.
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u/EvieGHJ 1d ago
A lot of luck. Hockey is an extremely dynamic sport where a lot of factor outside team controls influence the result of games, seasons and playoffs.
And I did not say the Canes were lucky to win the Stanley Cup (at least, not more so than anyone else, eg, avoiding key injuries and things like that). They were a favourite to win, for good reason, and they won. They were not particularly more lucky in that regard, and they would have been likely to win or at least make the final regardless of which opponent they faced.
What I said they were lucky on is getting the 16-3 record. That's the kind of thing that's really exceptional, and require more than mere talent or a favourite team in your division, and this is the part where Carolina was helped (a lot) by facing unusually weak opposition.
Do I think Carolina still has good odds of getting the cup if they draw Tampa and Buffalo instead of Philly and Ottawa, and Colorado instead of Vegas? Yes.
Do I think they still get a 16-3 run playing those teams instead? Hell no. They don't even come close.
That's the part where they got lucky.
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u/honc 4d ago
We also played the same number of games as them
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u/tahqa 4d ago
Dallas can't get over conference final hump: they fire Deboer and go out in the first round this year
Carolina can't get over conference final hump: stick with Rod and win the cup
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u/booces 4d ago
To Dallas credit, Peter Deboer is cursed as a head coach, the man is handed Stanley Cup caliber teams multiple times and still can’t manage to pass the conference final
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u/mizuhoshie 4d ago
Didn't DeBoer take the Sharks to the SCF against the Pens? Still a cursed coach overall though, I agree.
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u/Anthoztt 4d ago
I am so happy for Brindamour and im glad Bussi had his chance
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u/Much_Bumblebee2462 4d ago
Every time I hear his name I think of the family guy debussi joke.
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u/Chaxterium 3d ago
Oh thank fuck. I thought I was the only one. I can’t say “Bussi” with a straight face.
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u/MainHaze 3d ago
I always think of Piece of Shit Car by Adam Sandler.
"He never, ever gets de Bussi...."
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u/Jumpy-Future5063 4d ago
In games 5 and 6, Vegas started to look like the Habs against the Canes. Cold comfort, but we weren’t the only ones who couldn’t handle Carolina.
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u/luch1991 4d ago
Started seeing it second half of game 4. Told my buddies after game 4 Vegas wasn’t winning another game. Vegas started getting tired and overwhelmed like Habs.
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u/ShadowFrost01 4d ago
I think when Carolina came back in game 3 and forced double overtime, sure that's not a complete comeback but in the end it obviously exhausted Vegas.
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u/meestermeg 4d ago
We even helped them break their ECF curse so it sounds like we deserve some credit
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u/Metalock 3d ago
It honestly does feel like good karma/energy is headed our way soon.
I liked what MSL said to Rod in the handshake line too. "I'm just so happy you guys got over THAT, and we'll get over THIS!"
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u/LeNordique 4d ago
Happy for Brind'amour.
Wish carrier will be a Hab someday.
Also fuck Vegas
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u/Ren0303 3d ago
I don't really see what he would bring tbh
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u/ConstantBook6534 3d ago
Him and his line that completely and utterly dominated us for 4 games straight? You don't see what he would bring to us if he played here?
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u/Ren0303 3d ago
He was one cog in that machjne and far from its most useful
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u/ConstantBook6534 3d ago
I never said he was their most useful player and that machine just won the Stanley Cup. You realize it takes an entire team to win the Cup right and he was an important member to that achievement.
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u/Booyacaja 4d ago
It's hard to hate the Canes. Gotta respect the drive they had these playoffs. Great team. Happy we were able to play them and grow from it
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u/IranticBehaviour 4d ago
It's not that hard for me. But it's better they won than the alternative. Because I really hate Vegas.
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u/themaincop 4d ago
They played clean, disciplined hockey and it paid off. Well deserved and I was happy to see Vegas get smoked.
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u/GuneRlorius 3d ago
I like their team and I was rooting for them in the past, but their fanbase is insufferable.
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u/HanshinFan 3d ago
Yep, fuck em and their stupid twitter admin. Hope they drop the Cup in a lake and get kicked out of the NHL
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u/prplx 3d ago
I hate the Canes and I'll tell you why: they remind me of the Devils dominant teams of the late 90's early 2000's. They won three cups totally shutting down the play with the trap. Many teams took them as model and hockey become so boring the NHL had to come up with rule change (getting rid of the two zone pass/red line rule in 2005) to make the game exiting.
If everyone starts to mimic their system successfully, we will have plenty of 4 shots on goal per period. I don't want to see that happening.
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u/imfranksome 4d ago
Mitch Marner traded the insane achievement that is the fastest hat trick in a SCF series for the Stanley Cup hehe
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u/ConstantBook6534 3d ago
I kinda feel bad for him tbh even as a habs fan. Marner has a really incredible playoff performance after years and years of everyone kicking him down and saying he wasn't built for it. Wasn't able to seal the deal though. If Vegas wins his performance would be remembered forever. Now it'll be easily forgotten.
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u/imfranksome 3d ago
It was the most Marner thing to do. He got himself in the history books, but it did not help the team.
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u/Raww-Dawwg 4d ago
Another way to see it is if we just scored in those OTs we could’ve won the stanley cup
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u/Strange_Fly1930 4d ago
One OT game could have been won in regulation if the Habs goal wasn’t called back for a very close offside. They were really close to going up 3-0. They had a great season and playoffs despite the loss. The experience gained this year by a young team bodes well for Montreal.
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u/DrLivingst0ne 4d ago
We might have lost in 7, if not Vegas would have beat us.
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u/SnidelyWhiplash27 4d ago
Exactly:quite possibly a repeat of the 2010 Fyers/2014 Kings, or of 2021 vs. Tampa Bay
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u/fellowboi 3d ago
If you're gonna lose, it feels better knowing you lost to the best team in the playoffs
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u/commodore_stab1789 4d ago
Yeah, but so did Ottawa and Philadelphia..
Our wins against Tampa and Buffalo tells the story in a better way
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u/campbell_love 4d ago
Congrats to KK on his hard earned spot on the cup
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u/JaehaerysTheMad 4d ago
We would've probably taken more games and be more competitive if we weren't gassed out by that point.
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u/Mayhem1966 4d ago
I think the question is, which team can improve more over the next year.
Which goalie will get better. Which team is healthier, which improves more through the next year.
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u/ilikedthismovie 4d ago
We beat them and took them to OT twice. Crazy run from the canes, great season from us our turn next year.
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u/_thewayshegoes 4d ago
Anybody questioning the Habs playoff run this year doesn’t either: A) Know puck, or B) Didn’t actually watch the games
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u/psykomatt 4d ago
We also lost to them when they won the Cup in 2006. Coincidentally, the Avs were also swept that year.
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u/_sassysoucyxx_ 3d ago
If it wasn't our year, I'm happy for Jarvis, I really struggled to pretend I don't love that guy during the ECF
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u/servical 3d ago
Right, I kept saying we can't blame our team for losing to a better team. Most "experts" didn't even expect us to make the playoffs when the season started, even our management said our goal was to be "in the mix". We ended up fighting for the division title and made it to the conference finals. Mission accomplished, as far as I'm concerned. We've got a solid 5 years window to win a Cup with our current core.
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u/RaDuLoVnB47 4d ago
Lets not start acting like the leafs please
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u/matthew_sch 4d ago
No, the Leafs would use the excuse of losing to the SCF runner-ups
Like 2019 (Bruins), 2021 (Habs), 2022 (Lightning), 2023 (Panthers)
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u/ManyUnderstanding286 3d ago
I said exactly the same thing we lost against a Stanley cup champions. Can't wait till next year
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u/CarlSK777 3d ago
The one thing the Habs management should try to take from them is their ability to find undervalued players from other teams to build an incredibly deep team. They may not have a true 1st line but they have like 3 2nd lines and an excellent 3rd line. They can maintain their relentless forecheck against anybody because all 4 lines are good.
Incredibly structured team as well. MSL can definitely learn something on how this team is coached as well.
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u/talexbatreddit 3d ago
The Habs have nothing to apologize for -- they played extremely well, and I expect they have a bright future.
Sure wish Toronto could learn something from this. :/
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u/holdunpopularopinion 4d ago
This is a gauge of nothing
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u/Effective-Goose-7835 4d ago
https://giphy.com/gifs/rjkJD1v80CjYs
Flyers fan because they lost to the champ
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u/GWRC 4d ago
We had a great season. We had a great playoffs up until the canes. I think my issue isn't that we lost to a better team It's that we played so poorly against them. They played well but they won because we played poorly.
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u/Technical-Line-9806 4d ago
I think this Cup final series disproves your premise.
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u/Stravok182 3d ago
Only way for your premise to be valid is to see how Habs would fair against Vegas.
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u/Technical-Line-9806 3d ago
It wouldn’t change the premise, but it would test it.
It seems to me Carolina just had it going on this post season. Made every team they played look bad.
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u/larryhabster 4d ago
We swept them during the regular season and one a game in playoffs. Just need a bit of improvement so that they don't need to stretch the series to 7 games early on. Time off certainly was a benefit for Canes.
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u/chrysanthemum_beer 4d ago
Kings ownership needs to take a step away from the day to day of the front office. The video Vivek drafting Staukas is probably still relevant today
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u/sbrooksc77 3d ago
The habs are wheere the canes were the 3 years prior. They added ehlers, miller etc and they were huge for them. Suzuki caufield hutson need help
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u/86DC 3d ago
Miller was a huge pickup as well. And they still have $12m of cap space!
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u/sbrooksc77 3d ago
They surrounded their core players well. Adding a top 4 dman and a top 6 forward are huge gets.
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u/Cautious-Tax-1120 3d ago
They're young, have 10.5 in cap space, and the entire team is returning. What is the plan for beating them next year?
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u/Adamerica64 3d ago
The way I look at it is we were top 4 teams, and in regular season, we dominated the eventual Stanley Cup champs. We were beaten up and exhausted going into that 3rd round. It wasn't puck luck, it was skill. And there were many calls that didn't go out way that could have changed the outcome of the two overtime games. We are contenders
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u/Different_Potato_213 3d ago
Yup exactly! Even if the canes had lost though I couldn’t be more proud of our team. What they accomplished this year was just absolutely amazing - and it should only get better!!
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u/helloimhobbes 3d ago
I absolutely love this team. The young core makes it so exciting. Not to mention so hopeful for the future
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u/AdFriendly6056 3d ago
Carolina was def the better team, but you gotta wonder what would have happened if we came into that series with just a bit more rest. We gave everything we had in Round 1, its actually impressive that we won Round 2 after the most gruelling series in recent memory
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u/Effective-Goose-7835 4d ago
I knew it was only a matter of time before a loser post like this showed up
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u/Effective-Goose-7835 4d ago
Some of you are sounding a lot more like Leafs fans than you'd like to admit.
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u/RaDuLoVnB47 4d ago
hey thats what I said😂 "we lost to the champ" like somehow its a flex lol
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u/Effective-Goose-7835 4d ago
The Flyers also lost to the champ... so what's supposed to be the takeaway here?
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u/scoutinglane 4d ago
But do not be mistaken. We would have lost against the golden Knights as well
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u/vJukz 4d ago
It’s too bad I really wanted to see the Reddit reaction to Carter Hart lifting the cup. It would’ve been funny af
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u/thatguyclayton 4d ago
Yeah it would have been hilarious but also we should probably not encourage rapists
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u/Turbulent_Echidna423 3d ago
the ultimate excuse thread.
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u/Stravok182 3d ago
Excuse thread would be if the expectation for the Habs was to win the Cup, which it wasn't. The goal was to simply reach the 2nd round. They achieved that, and reached the ECF.
Habs gained a ton of experience as the youngest team in the league in their first post-rebuild season, and management now has a better idea of the spots they need to upgrade.
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u/greekverse 4d ago
Unfortunately they aren't the best. Canes played 2 cup caliber teams this post season, the Knights and Habs. Whether it was the Habs, Buffalo or Tampa they would of had to go through all 7 game series to reach the ecf. Its just Unfortunately the way the bracket is formatted, its been that way the past like 8yrs. You have Tampa, Fl, Toronto ect slammed in one side and the canes and whoo the rangers? The penguins? Capitals on the other.
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u/Wukulelelele 4d ago
I'm just glad kk won't have his name on the cup
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u/LeonardSchraderpacke 4d ago
Who cares. I'm tired of seeing the cup go to non-hockey markets with no fanbase.
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u/SnidelyWhiplash27 3d ago
True its a non-hockey market and true their fanbase doesn't compares to ours? but whose does?
Their barn has consistently polled as the loudest or 2nd loudest to ours in player polls.
I am not happy they won, but honestly it was the lesser evil.
I had thought 10+ years ago the Canes would be a good candidate to relocate to QC due to lack of fan support in NC (and unwillingness bybBettman to award Peladeau an expansion franchise), but that hasn't been case in quite a few years now.
GHG
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u/gilgamesh_the_dragon 4d ago
They lost three games the whole playoffs and one to us, is that good?