Around the NHL 2016-2017

[Thorner]

Damn, it's a shame that I claimed that.

 

You claimed there is an objective reality to the situation. What objective reality? If it isn't that they'll win the cup, who cares.

[Randall Flagg]

You claimed there is an objective reality to the situation. What objective reality? If it isn't that they'll win the cup, who cares.

The objective reality that that franchise knows what it's doing and is in a better spot than ours. 

 

It's relevant because teams do all they can to make their chance at a cup as high as possible, and they're a lot closer to that than we are. Not only are they closer to that goal, but those facets they have in place also make them a lot more fun to watch for their fans than we have been. 

 

It's the truth and it's a punch in the nuts.

[Thorner]

The objective reality that that franchise knows what it's doing and is in a better spot than ours.

It's relevant because teams do all they can to make their chance at a cup as high as possible, and they're a lot closer to that than we are. Not only are they closer to that goal, but those facets they have in place also make them a lot more fun to watch for their fans than we have been.

It's the truth and it's a punch in the nuts.

It can be, but it's also a matter of perspective. Lord knows it can be upsetting when Matthews scores his 40th. But it was also fun watching them lose in the first round.

 

Sure, everything was gravy for them and their fan base this season. They are in the honeymoon phase. What happens if they lose in the first round next year? The year after? Let's just see what happens.

Edited May 29, 2017 by Thorny

[LGR4GM]

The Leafs had a perfect season with almost no injuries and everyone clicking. The Sabres had the exact opposite and the coach lost the room sometime in January. I'm not declaring the Leafs anything.

[dudacek]

The Leafs are a well-run organization with a great coach and an outstanding core of young talent.

I expect them to be good for the next ten years.

 

But the road to success is rarely smooth.

 

I'll say about them what I said about the Sabres last year: teams that make a huge jump in the standings one year (26 points in the Leafs case, 27 in ours) rarely continue that progression the following year.

 

Remember the Colorado Avalanche of 2014: from dead last in the West to 112 points and a division title as new coach Patrick Roy (Babcock) breathed fresh life into an amazing young nucleus that had added franchise player Nathan MacKinnon (Matthews) to Duchene, O'Reilly, Landeskog and Barrie (Marner, Kadri, Nylander and Reilly)?

 

The Leafs have a better organization than the Avs and I do not expect them to implode the same way.

But their fans in their enormous echo chamber are counting chickens that ain't hatched yet.

[Rasmus_]

The Queefs.  They can be mailed a swift boot in the ***.  Over and out.  Dubas has been linked to Colorado, which would be a great fit for him.  

[TrueBlueGED]

The Leafs are a well-run organization with a great coach and an outstanding core of young talent.

I expect them to be good for the next ten years.

 

But the road to success is rarely smooth.

 

I'll say about them what I said about the Sabres last year: teams that make a huge jump in the standings one year (26 points in the Leafs case, 27 in ours) rarely continue that progression the following year.

 

Remember the Colorado Avalanche of 2014: from dead last in the West to 112 points and a division title as new coach Patrick Roy (Babcock) breathed fresh life into an amazing young nucleus that had added franchise player Nathan MacKinnon (Matthews) to Duchene, O'Reilly, Landeskog and Barrie (Marner, Kadri, Nylander and Reilly)?

 

The Leafs have a better organization than the Avs and I do not expect them to implode the same way.

But their fans in their enormous echo chamber are counting chickens that ain't hatched yet.

Not even remotely comparable. The Avs rode an unsustainable level of shooting and save percentages to success. The Leafs were putting up numbers in their tank year that pointed to a lot of success once the talent level was upped. Nothing the Leafs did this season points to it being an outlier, or something particularly unlikely to repeat. The only thing you can point to is injury luck. If you want to hang your hat on that go ahead, but that team has everything you could want moving forward.

[Brawndo]

Some notes from Bettman's Presser.

 

Las Vegas will now have 72 hours to look over and make their choices from the expansion lists.

 

The new uniform designs will debut on June 21st

 

Tampa will host the All Star Game. This confirms no Olympic Participation for the NHL this season per Bettman.

[WildCard]

Some notes from Bettman's Presser.

 

Las Vegas will now have 72 hours to look over and make their choices from the expansion lists.

 

The new uniform designs will debut on June 21st

 

Tampa will host the All Star Game. This confirms no Olympic Participation for the NHL this season per Bettman.

Really all I care about at this point

[LGR4GM]

Not even remotely comparable. The Avs rode an unsustainable level of shooting and save percentages to success. The Leafs were putting up numbers in their tank year that pointed to a lot of success once the talent level was upped. Nothing the Leafs did this season points to it being an outlier, or something particularly unlikely to repeat. The only thing you can point to is injury luck. If you want to hang your hat on that go ahead, but that team has everything you could want moving forward.

True. But the Leafs haven't faced much adversity yet so it will be interesting to see how the handle it. Also teams have more tape on all the rookies, may impact things.

[Brawndo]

Scott Stevens resigns as Asst Coach from Minny.

 

Michael Russo speculates that Bob Woods could be a candidate for the job because of his relationship with Boudearu

[inkman]

Scott Stevens resigns as Asst Coach from Minny.

 

Michael Russo speculates that Bob Woods could be a candidate for the job because of his relationship with Boudearu

Maybe Stevens could come here and teach all our defenseman the art of head hunting

[JJFIVEOH]

The Panthers hired Shawn Thornton as VP of Business Operations (as expected). Now, Tallon is interviewing Chris Pronger for a front office position. I wonder if he's piecing together a goon squad to beat up the analytics guys.  :D

[Brawndo]

Paul Maclean does not have his contract renewed in Anaheim.

[JJFIVEOH]

I am the egg man. 

[Andrew Amerk]

LA kings trying to make a deal for Evander, according to HNIC broadcast.

[PromoTheRobot]

Our Russian players remember Buffalo fondly.
 

https://twitter.com/SlavaMalamud/status/739172599935172608

[WildCard]

@WiebeSunSports  56m56 minutes ago

 Winnipegger James Patrick hired as head coach of Kootenay Ice of #WHL

[dudacek]

Sure would be nice to be able to add a James Patrick or a Teppo Numminen to this defence.

[Weave]

Sure would be nice to be able to add a James Patrick or a Teppo Numminen to this defence.

 

You know, all the criticism about this 27 yr old is too old for this young team, or that 29 year old is going to interfere with Jack and Sam's next contract, this team needs a salty dog or two to show the kids.  Just like Mark Recchi was the right guy to help Sid in his first playoffs.  It seems Gio shoulda helped here.

[Huckleberry]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/former-nhler-wojtek-wolski-returns-ice-horrific-injury/

 

Wolski skating again.

[That Aud Smell]

You know, all the criticism about this 27 yr old is too old for this young team, or that 29 year old is going to interfere with Jack and Sam's next contract, this team needs a salty dog or two to show the kids.  Just like Mark Recchi was the right guy to help Sid in his first playoffs.  It seems Gio shoulda helped here.

 

Where's d4rk when we need him?

 

I've sort of come around to the idea that, while Gio might have been the right veteran presence for a certain group of young players, he may not have been the right one for this group.

[darksabre]

Where's d4rk when we need him?

 

I've sort of come around to the idea that, while Gio might have been the right veteran presence for a certain group of young players, he may not have been the right one for this group.

I still don't think he was ever a leader in any sense. Got passed over for years in Jersey. Got laughed out of Montreal. Red flags baby.

[shrader]

I still don't think he was ever a leader in any sense. Got passed over for years in Jersey. Got laughed out of Montreal. Red flags baby.

 

I'm no Gionta fan, but it seems a bit strong to say that he was passed over for years in Jersey.  There wasn't exactly a leadership vacuum while he was there.  Jamie Langenbrunner was there for most of Gionta's run with the Devils, right up until the end.  Then they had Elias the whole time who also had the C at stages.  Mix in overlapping time with Stevens, Niedermayer, Holik, Rafalski, and even Brodeur and It's definitely not something that was ever lacking on that team. 

 

The one thing that unfortunately I can't seem to find without digging way too deeply in google is if and how long he had an A with the Devils.

[darksabre]

I'm no Gionta fan, but it seems a bit strong to say that he was passed over for years in Jersey.  There wasn't exactly a leadership vacuum while he was there.  Jamie Langenbrunner was there for most of Gionta's run with the Devils, right up until the end.  Then they had Elias the whole time who also had the C at stages.  Mix in overlapping time with Stevens, Niedermayer, Holik, Rafalski, and even Brodeur and It's definitely not something that was ever lacking on that team. 

 

The one thing that unfortunately I can't seem to find without digging way too deeply in google is if and how long he had an A with the Devils.

He only had the A for a few months I believe.