2023 NHL Playoffs Around the League

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Protect Ebs, and expose Clutter or MM. Chances are, they take Bailey over the 4th liners.

But, if they don’t, and they took a lot of 4th liners, then you’re screwed.

 

[BelovedIsles]

But, if they don’t, and they took a lot of 4th liners, then you’re screwed.

So why take more 4th liners then? Perhaps keep another interesting player exposed.

 

[BelovedIsles]

I agree with you that neither is moving the needle, and that's precisely my point. We saw years of Eberle not being able to do enough to get the team over the hump, it was time to try something new with Palmieri. So far that hasn't worked out. That doesn't mean Eberle was the answer all along. Maybe neither of them are.

Again, I'm pretty sure there were rumblings that Seattle wouldn't have taken Bailey and wanted Martin/Clutterbuck. Then the Islanders would've been stuck with the same team as the year before, sans Palmieri and Zajac.

There is a marginal difference between Ebs and Palms, I'd prefer both for depth. One over the other is a tough call, and really, doesn't matter b/c they aren't true difference makers anyway.

 

[Osakahaus]

I would rather take my first round exit and Horvat, rather than whatever I just saw from Edmonton and NJ.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

So why take more 4th liners then? Perhaps keep another interesting player exposed.

Maybe they like your 4th liner better than another teams 4th liner. The odds don't seem very good that you could have "forced" them to take Bailey. Just seems like rationalization to me.

 

[Duanesutter12]

There is a marginal difference between Ebs and Palms, I'd prefer both for depth. One over the other is a tough call, and really, doesn't matter b/c they aren't true difference makers anyway.

Isles were in some impossible decision situations in '20 and '21. It was either Leddy or Toews that needed to be dumped in '20 and either Eberle or Palms in '21. Leddy/Toews was a pure toss up. You could've dumped more salary with Leddy but the return likely would've been less. Toews also had some rough defensive lapses in the bubble which probably stuck in Lou's mind.

Honestly, I felt like keeping Palmieri was the only one that was cut and dry. He fit our system better and had more grind to him. And don't get me wrong, I hated giving up Eberle but all you can do in that situation is make the most logical choice and to me it was clear that that keeping Palmieri.

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Don't really care for the Oilers, so I'm not sad to see them go. On the other hand, I don't like Vegas too much either. It's irrational, but somehow seeing expansion teams this powerful right off the bat seems off.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Protect Ebs, and expose Clutter or MM. Chances are, they take Bailey over the 4th liners.

But it wasn't about that.

The expansion draft for Lou was ALL about having a 5-million-per player selected. It had to be made use of for its cap-softening possibilties.

He wasn't risking that the contract of a Martin or Clutterbuck would be snapped up as opposed to one of Bailey or Eberle. Then he couldn't sign Palmieri.

Mission accomplished.

 

[Chapin Landvogt]

Don't really care for the Oilers, so I'm not sad to see them go. On the other hand, I don't like Vegas too much either. It's irrational, but somehow seeing expansion teams this powerful right off the bat seems off.

Totally what the NHL wanted.

Even at the expense of their own team's success, the ownership groups are very happy about the HUGE cost of buying a team being paid and the immediate growth of the markets.

Vegas and Seattle have taken different paths (well, Seattle's ExDra was sorta harpooned by GMs not wanting to allow for a Vegas Part Deux on the player transfer front), but the success Vegas has had and the season Seattle is having now join together to be an absolute dream for league executives and ownership alike.

Under normal world circumstances where the powers that be would still be striving for a continued capitalistic free market economy, I'd be inclined to write that we should be expecting new teams in Quebec City and another US site (Houston? Salt Lake City?) within 5 years.

 

[JKP]

Totally what the NHL wanted.

Even at the expense of their own team's success, the ownership groups are very happy about the HUGE cost of buying a team being paid and the immediate growth of the markets.

Vegas and Seattle have taken different paths (well, Seattle's ExDra was sorta harpooned by GMs not wanting to allow for a Vegas Part Deux on the player transfer front), but the success Vegas has had and the season Seattle is having now join together to be an absolute dream for league executives and ownership alike.

Under normal world circumstances where the powers that be would still be striving for a continued capitalistic free market economy, I'd be inclined to write that we should be expecting new teams in Quebec City and another US site (Houston? Salt Lake City?) within 5 years.

You pay your half-billion+ and you get a decent team.

As for future expansion, I just don't see QC ever getting a team. I just don't think there's enough money there and the french language TV money is too small now to split with Montreal.

I think Houston would be the next logical place for sure. Huge TV market and an arena in place.

That said, Bettman was asked about expansion on Bob McCown's podcast earlier this month and said it's not even on their radar. They get calls, but it's not on their list of things to do.

 

[saintunspecified]

On the ice, assuming Seattle wins (I think Dallas will win), I think the Knights will crush them. I think

The Barbashev pickup was one hell of an add for the Knights. They score with any of their top 9.

 

[Skip To My Lou]

Shame about the Oilers. It's been a joy to watch this journey from McDavid, and it's good to finally appreciate a generational player after years of despising Crosby and Ovechkin.

Hope they figure it out, but that Nurse contract is a total disaster.

 

[Osakahaus]

Don't really care for the Oilers, so I'm not sad to see them go. On the other hand, I don't like Vegas too much either. It's irrational, but somehow seeing expansion teams this powerful right off the bat seems off.

Jaguars, D-backs, and the Panthers all started off "powerful"

 

[The Lighthouse]

You pay your half-billion+ and you get a decent team.

As for future expansion, I just don't see QC ever getting a team. I just don't think there's enough money there and the french language TV money is too small now to split with Montreal.

I think Houston would be the next logical place for sure. Huge TV market and an arena in place.

That said, Bettman was asked about expansion on Bob McCown's podcast earlier this month and said it's not even on their radar. They get calls, but it's not on their list of things to do.

Agreed, NHL gives no indication it is interested in a new team in Quebec. Maybe as a backup city if ownership groups go way off the rails and no local owners are interested in saving a team from relocation.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

Are the Leafs fans wrong?

I dunno...

My opinion is that this is the best Leafs team I've seen in a long time. Sometimes the better team loses. Of course I understand the frustration given how much they have underachieved in the playoffs recently.

 

[eoin92]

 

[Zeeker]

This is the same joke 82 times in less than two minutes.

The rise of TikTok has led to so many brain dead comedy pages that people just gobble up.

 

[leeroggy]

This is the same joke 82 times in less than two minutes.

The rise of TikTok has led to so many brain dead comedy pages that people just gobble up.

And everyone here knows that I'm the KING of brain-dead comedy takes in my Pregame rants! Never mind such gems as a Bailey Forever t-shirt . . .

 

[Richie Daggers Crime]

Jaguars, D-backs, and the Panthers all started off "powerful"

I don't like that either?

 

[NC 1972]

Shame about the Oilers. It's been a joy to watch this journey from McDavid, and it's good to finally appreciate a generational player after years of despising Crosby and Ovechkin.

Hope they figure it out, but that Nurse contract is a total disaster.

Agree with the Nurse comment, at the time I couldn't see logic in that signing .

 

[doublechili]

Don't really care for the Oilers, so I'm not sad to see them go. On the other hand, I don't like Vegas too much either. It's irrational, but somehow seeing expansion teams this powerful right off the bat seems off.

Yeah, at this point I'm rooting for a CAR-DAL finals.

BTW, I haven't watched a ton of the Western Conference games (and zero DAL so far - hopefully changing tonight), but to the extent that I have I feel that a team like CAR would handle them.

 

[mm11]

no worries, Florida, The Kraken, Las Vegas or even Carolina are not winning the cup anyway

 

[Mr Misunderstood]

Hope the Canes win the whole damn thing

 

[doublechili]

Shame about the Oilers. It's been a joy to watch this journey from McDavid, and it's good to finally appreciate a generational player after years of despising Crosby and Ovechkin.

Hope they figure it out, but that Nurse contract is a total disaster.

I'm one of those dinosaurs who happens to think there's something to be said for "established wisdom". So when I see hockey teams that build from forward back, putting less emphasis on defense and/or goaltending, I kind of enjoy seeing them lose. So, thank you EDM, TOR, NJD, etc..

 

[Osakahaus]

Hope the Canes win the whole damn thing