2024 2025 Around the League Part 2

Holy shit what a bland matchup

Crosby hasn't played a game in Europe since 2008. That alone will be a treat for European fans to get one last chance to see one of the GOATs in person. And since Pittsburgh is also going to be f***ing terrible next year, it makes sense to give them an opponent who isn't going to do to them what we did to Columbus. Contender versus bottom feeder isn't exciting hockey. And even two bad NHL teams are still pretty damn good hockey overall.

I don't know if that was the thought process behind any of it (in fact experience tells me that the NHL is almost never that well organized when they make decisions), but if I was in charge that would be my reasoning at a glance.
 
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The more I think about it the more I think that's not exactly the case.

They had a top-flight goaltender and an injury prone but capable backup, who happens to be a guy who Roy knew and trusted. Literally any coach wants that of course, not just Roy.

They had a big, tough, physical defense with at least one very talented puckmover. That's more along the lines of what Roy wanted and never really got in Colorado.

Up front, yeah, okay, it's a very old and mediocre group. No coach could really do much there. Didn't help the two guys with the most dynamic offensive talent--Duclair and Barzal--have basically been hurt all year. I still think they're more capable than they've displayed this year, but it's just not a very good group overall.

All that said, I think two things can be true. One, the Isles are not a good team. Two, Roy isn't a very good coach at the NHL level. At the very least, he and Tourigny need to reunite because it went south for the former the minute the latter left.
Once the Isles traded Nelson they started loosing big time. They traded away the wrong player. They were battling for a wild card spot with Nelson in their lineup.
 
Ekblad never really was their #1. Forsling is. Fact is, even in a reduced role his flaws are still way too big for any given team, even one as good as Florida, to cover up for. To me he’s nothing more than a meaner, more physical Morgan Rielly, except he’s likely not nearly as good offensively, and I’m no fan of Rielly’s either.
lol boy this again. Ekblad plays more mins and pp and pk. Forsling is not a #1.

edit: That's a sad looking blueline, they're getting rolled unless they olay Toronto
 
They are no worse than a rebuilding Montreal team or a very poorly built Detroit. Rags are the only "legit" team there and they were sellers all year.
Schedule makes big difference too. The Wings are out because they have a really hard schedule. They didn't add cause they knew
 
lol boy this again. Ekblad plays more mins and pp and pk. Forsling is not a #1.

edit: That's a sad looking blueline, they're getting rolled unless they olay Toronto
Forsling played more toi/gp last year in both regular season and playoffs. Has way better metrics.

Ekblad played more this year because they lost Montour and never got a true PP QB to replace him.
 
Anyone else see the article where they asked Pronger if Hughes is better than Makar? He goes on to start his answer with “ definitely not…” lol

I’m seeing so much Makar/Hughes bullshit on my Twitter feed rn

I’m just excited for Canucks to be wrong again like they have been for the last 28 years I’ve been around them
 
I’m seeing so much Makar/Hughes bullshit on my Twitter feed rn

I’m just excited for Canucks to be wrong again like they have been for the last 28 years I’ve been around them
I'm usually afraid to open X on my own anymore. It's not that people post without thinking... it's just that I don't have the capacity to not bring their attention to the matter and it generally devolves into a shit-show rather quickly.
 
How would we feel if Cale Makar threw a tantrum like this because his nervous, rookie defense partner didn’t pass the puck to him and just made the safe play instead?


This just proves that Q. Hughes is weak. (Although I already knew that) Banging the stick on the ice that hard and not even breaking it. Stronger guy doing that breaks the stick 10 out of 10 times
 
Anyone else see the article where they asked Pronger if Hughes is better than Makar? He goes on to start his answer with “ definitely not…” lol



The thing is Cale is more dynamic offensively too.

He just has a raw talent and natural athetsicm that nobody else has. His shot is better than all the D men and most forwards. His compete level is higher too. It honestly shouldn't even be a debate.
 
All I know is Hughes better not be in the Norris conversation because that's how it works, right? It was Fox over Makar in large part due to games played where Fox played in 11 more games that year. This season Makar has played in 15 more games than Hughes.
 
Rantanen's stats away from Mack this year aren't great are they? Also the teams he played for tend to lose...Carolina now Dallas. Hmm.
 
adding hide avatars option

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