Around the NHL: 2024-2025 Season

[Crusader1969]

Not sure if there is news out there but just seeing on X that Rob Ray has just disappeared.    

strange that it's not being mentioned on the broadcast if this is true.   I respect that maybe he has asked for privacy 

Hopefully everything is ok with him

 

[bob_sauve28]

The situation with the Rangers is just ugly!

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6016529/2024/12/23/rangers-devils-trocheck-kreider/

“We gotta show more heart,” Vincent Trocheck said after Monday’s shutout, a 5-0 shelling from the Devils in which the Rangers mustered 12 shots on goal, gave up three power-play goals and scratched Chris Kreider, the closest thing this organization has to a Mr. Ranger.

It’s a shocking thing to hear a player say about his team at any point in the season. It somehow feels more shocking given how the past month has gone. The Rangers hit the three-day holiday break losers of 14 of their past 18, and they’ve been uncompetitive in about six of them.

“I think of the times we’ve lost by multiple goals, left our goalies out to dry,” Trocheck said.

So does everyone else. Even the flawed 12-4-1 team played with some fire in the belly, hungry for goals on a talented team even if many of the players weren’t quite so committed to defending.

Now the goals have dried up and the commitment to, well, anything, is just gone. The Rangers came into this one still leading the league on the penalty kill, so they went out and gave up three PPGs on four opportunities, two of them off too-many-men penalties in the second period. The Rangers’ once-vaunted power play went 0-for-4 to drop to 6-for-49 since early November.

It’s all gone. Every last bit of it. Good play, fire, heart, dignity, togetherness — poof. In just over a month, the Rangers have become a team that’s easy to play against, even after a feisty first period in which Trocheck and Sam Carrick fought. They’re pushovers.

[Archie Lee]

26 minutes ago, bob_sauve28 said:

The situation with the Rangers is just ugly!

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6016529/2024/12/23/rangers-devils-trocheck-kreider/

“We gotta show more heart,” Vincent Trocheck said after Monday’s shutout, a 5-0 shelling from the Devils in which the Rangers mustered 12 shots on goal, gave up three power-play goals and scratched Chris Kreider, the closest thing this organization has to a Mr. Ranger.

It’s a shocking thing to hear a player say about his team at any point in the season. It somehow feels more shocking given how the past month has gone. The Rangers hit the three-day holiday break losers of 14 of their past 18, and they’ve been uncompetitive in about six of them.

“I think of the times we’ve lost by multiple goals, left our goalies out to dry,” Trocheck said.

So does everyone else. Even the flawed 12-4-1 team played with some fire in the belly, hungry for goals on a talented team even if many of the players weren’t quite so committed to defending.

Now the goals have dried up and the commitment to, well, anything, is just gone. The Rangers came into this one still leading the league on the penalty kill, so they went out and gave up three PPGs on four opportunities, two of them off too-many-men penalties in the second period. The Rangers’ once-vaunted power play went 0-for-4 to drop to 6-for-49 since early November.

It’s all gone. Every last bit of it. Good play, fire, heart, dignity, togetherness — poof. In just over a month, the Rangers have become a team that’s easy to play against, even after a feisty first period in which Trocheck and Sam Carrick fought. They’re pushovers.

By the off-season, Peca will either be the Rangers head coach or very available. 

[PerreaultForever]

9 hours ago, Archie Lee said:

By the off-season, Peca will either be the Rangers head coach or very available. 

You really think they will go with a zero head coach experience guy? I doubt that, that's Sabres style, not Rags. 

[freester]

I think Drury could get fired. He has alienated many of the veterans. 

[Archie Lee]

5 hours ago, PerreaultForever said:

You really think they will go with a zero head coach experience guy? I doubt that, that's Sabres style, not Rags. 

No, I was thinking he might be an interim candidate and if not then likely he gets let go at the end of the year with everyone. 

[Brawndo]

 

[Stoner]

Losing streaks in a year of high(er) expectations bring consequences.

[Flashsabre]

As every day passes it becomes clearer to me that Yzerman is a fraud who has been propped up by his playing days reputation. Seeing the same in New York with Drury

[Carmel Corn]

11 minutes ago, Stoner said:

Losing streaks in a year of high(er) expectations bring consequences.

For 31 of the 32 teams, yes.  Accountability exists everywhere else but western NY.

[JustOutsideChicago]

43 minutes ago, Brawndo said:

 

Curious to see if he’s given the ability to bring his own assistants. 

[kas23]

They let go of the Boogyman too. Maybe he can help our players grow some hair on their nuts. 

[JustOneParade]

So a 91 point season but barely missing out on the playoffs gets the coach fired when the team regresses afterward. Is 91 points becoming the coaching career equivalent of the dreaded two goal lead? 

[mjd1001]

2 hours ago, Flashsabre said:

As every day passes it becomes clearer to me that Yzerman is a fraud who has been propped up by his playing days reputation. Seeing the same in New York with Drury

I won't say fraud....but he had a nearly perfect situation in Tampa when he was hired there...and got credit for more the situation and less what he did....

I posted this about him earlier in the year..but....I still think the same way...

When he took over in tampa, he already had 2 young #1 overall picks on the roster in Stamkos and Hedman.  He had 5 first round picks in the next 4 years coming, including 2 top 10 overall. He had Veteran stars on the roster to bring the young guys along (St. Louis, Lacavalier).

And most importantly, he had 2 BIG things that Detroit doesn't......Low taxes and Palm trees.

For the last few seasons, a lot of talk was Ottawa, Buffalo, and Detroit...3 teams in the east with a lot of high picks who were going to get better eventually.  My opionion always was it was between Ottawa and Buffalo...I didn't thik what Detroit did (and the young talent they had) was enough to sustain long term success. I was always a bit 'down' on Yzermans play there.

Edited December 26, 2024 by mjd1001

[LGR4GM]

I have more faith in Columbus' talent than I do Detroit's 

[PerreaultForever]

4 hours ago, kas23 said:

They let go of the Boogyman too. Maybe he can help our players grow some hair on their nuts. 

Wouldn't be a bad idea but then again he wasn't exactly making that happen in Detroit was he? 

I see that McLellan got 1 assistant at least and that's a difference to how the Sabres did it. The bar for losing acceptability is obviously higher there as well. I do wonder if the play by play guy retiring (and being tired of the losing) swayed the decision and it's timing a little. They are perhaps more press sensitive there. 

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

I have more faith in Columbus' talent than I do Detroit's 

I would agree that Columbus perhaps has more young talent but they are still missing pieces too. 

What Detroit does have, since Yzerman thought he was closer than he was, is several mid level veterans who might be very attractive to playoff teams and so if he decides to partially tear that down he can likely amass quite a haul for them. I don't know if that would put them ahead of the Sabres or behind, but right now they are about the same. Both teams definitely on the outside looking in. 

[Flashsabre]

5 hours ago, kas23 said:

They let go of the Boogyman too. Maybe he can help our players grow some hair on their nuts. 

Unless he is volunteering for free he won’t be hired in Buffalo. Pegula’s bank account is frozen in regards to the Sabres 

[SabreFinn]

Detroit is 4-5 years away from playoff imo, but I guess they have to try something. They have excellent prospects in goal and on defense, Pellikka shows signs of being a new Lidstrom there. Unfortunately offensively there is only Raymond that is young that they can build around. And when they finally might have talented forwards enough, Larkins game might start to decline. But they have those veteran leaders that we are missing.

[ASlugAbove]

Thought of something today. I dont know how to check or verify this fully but I think it's correct...

Is this the furthest into both NFL and NHL seasons (DEC 27th) that the Bills have as many or more wins as the Sabres (12)? 

Quick checked math and the short covid year with 15 losses started in JAN so wouldnt fully count (Bills went 13-3 that year).

 

 

 

[Stoner]

16 hours ago, SabreFinn said:

Detroit is 4-5 years away from playoff imo, but I guess they have to try something. They have excellent prospects in goal and on defense, Pellikka shows signs of being a new Lidstrom there. Unfortunately offensively there is only Raymond that is young that they can build around. And when they finally might have talented forwards enough, Larkins game might start to decline. But they have those veteran leaders that we are missing.

There's no such thing as needing 4-5 years to make the playoffs.

[SabreFinn]

10 minutes ago, Stoner said:

There's no such thing as needing 4-5 years to make the playoffs.

Oh, sorry, I am a Sabres fan, I didn't know that.

[DarthEbriate]

1 hour ago, ASlugAbove said:

Thought of something today. I dont know how to check or verify this fully but I think it's correct...

Is this the furthest into both NFL and NHL seasons (DEC 27th) that the Bills have as many or more wins as the Sabres (12)? 

Quick checked math and the short covid year with 15 losses started in JAN so wouldnt fully count (Bills went 13-3 that year).

This is a fun exercise.

11/26/2014 (Eichel tank season) -- they both had 6 wins

12/21/2017 -- they both had 8 wins

12/27/2024 -- they both have 12 wins. A Sabres loss tonight and at St Louis on Sunday, plus a Bills win over the Jets? We could be talking January.

C'mon, Sabres!

[ASlugAbove]

22 minutes ago, DarthEbriate said:

This is a fun exercise.

11/26/2014 (Eichel tank season) -- they both had 6 wins

12/21/2017 -- they both had 8 wins

12/27/2024 -- they both have 12 wins. A Sabres loss tonight and at St Louis on Sunday, plus a Bills win over the Jets? We could be talking January.

C'mon, Sabres!

So this would be the furthest into both seasons (both normal starting times ie not covid year) that the Bills have the same or more wins than Sabres? Wow! 

[PerreaultForever]

1 hour ago, DarthEbriate said:

This is a fun exercise.

11/26/2014 (Eichel tank season) -- they both had 6 wins

12/21/2017 -- they both had 8 wins

12/27/2024 -- they both have 12 wins. A Sabres loss tonight and at St Louis on Sunday, plus a Bills win over the Jets? We could be talking January.

C'mon, Sabres!

So I guess the positive on this is at least the Jets still suck. Sabres still have a shot at making the playoffs before them. 

[DarthEbriate]

2 hours ago, ASlugAbove said:

So this would be the furthest into both seasons (both normal starting times ie not covid year) that the Bills have the same or more wins than Sabres? Wow! 

I only went back to 2010. There definitely could be another season where the Sabres started especially slow and the Bills were good to excellent.