2024/2025 Around the League

[Bill Peckerskull]

I still don’t love fighting but if you’re gonna do it, do it right.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1856516267974213838

That's straight up Blades of Steel shit

 

[PAZ]

IMO this is Edmonton's last chance at contending and winning a Cup (and it may not be enough). They're old, have a couple pieces of substance coming up, and they are going to be in cap hell... that doesn't mean they can't make noise in the playoffs, but I don't see them as a top team next season. This year they may benefit from a weaker West with the 'next' teams not quite ready to take a step... but in any case, this is their last shot.

They just need to steal Zito out of Florida and they'll win a cup.

He's undisputedly the best GM imo for what he's done in Florida.

 

[henchman21]

They just need to steal Zito out of Florida and they'll win a cup.

He's undisputedly the best GM imo for what he's done in Florida.

Zito is definitely up there in GM ranks, but I just don't think it'll be there for Edmonton. They're too old and not enough cap space to fill their deficiencies. They aren't as bad as their record this year, so I think they'll improve record wise as the season progresses. And they have a lot of (older) depth pieces that just need to play well at the right time. They just have to go all in to improve the team for this deadline. Next season they already have 76.5m tied up and still have to sign Bouchard. Who is a 10+m guy in where the NHL is heading. Meaning they just have ~5m to fill out a the last 7 spaces. Nurse is the obvious cut... but yeesh that'll be expensive and probably only buy them one year before McDavid's contract is due.

It is really similar to here with less supporting cast. A team getting on the edge of too old with years of poor drafting killing the depth. They gotta take their shots now because in 3 years there won't be a shot to take.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Zito is definitely up there in GM ranks, but I just don't think it'll be there for Edmonton. They're too old and not enough cap space to fill their deficiencies. They aren't as bad as their record this year, so I think they'll improve record wise as the season progresses. And they have a lot of (older) depth pieces that just need to play well at the right time. They just have to go all in to improve the team for this deadline. Next season they already have 76.5m tied up and still have to sign Bouchard. Who is a 10+m guy in where the NHL is heading. Meaning they just have ~5m to fill out a the last 7 spaces. Nurse is the obvious cut... but yeesh that'll be expensive and probably only buy them one year before McDavid's contract is due.

It is really similar to here with less supporting cast. A team getting on the edge of too old with years of poor drafting killing the depth. They gotta take their shots now because in 3 years there won't be a shot to take.

You think McJesus sticks around for his career or you think he's out in 26-27 to chase a cup as a free agent?

I think I'd be tempted to bail if I was him.

 

[Bender]

Zito is definitely up there in GM ranks, but I just don't think it'll be there for Edmonton. They're too old and not enough cap space to fill their deficiencies. They aren't as bad as their record this year, so I think they'll improve record wise as the season progresses. And they have a lot of (older) depth pieces that just need to play well at the right time. They just have to go all in to improve the team for this deadline. Next season they already have 76.5m tied up and still have to sign Bouchard. Who is a 10+m guy in where the NHL is heading. Meaning they just have ~5m to fill out a the last 7 spaces. Nurse is the obvious cut... but yeesh that'll be expensive and probably only buy them one year before McDavid's contract is due.

It is really similar to here with less supporting cast. A team getting on the edge of too old with years of poor drafting killing the depth. They gotta take their shots now because in 3 years there won't be a shot to take.

 

[PAZ]

Zito is definitely up there in GM ranks, but I just don't think it'll be there for Edmonton. They're too old and not enough cap space to fill their deficiencies. They aren't as bad as their record this year, so I think they'll improve record wise as the season progresses. And they have a lot of (older) depth pieces that just need to play well at the right time. They just have to go all in to improve the team for this deadline. Next season they already have 76.5m tied up and still have to sign Bouchard. Who is a 10+m guy in where the NHL is heading. Meaning they just have ~5m to fill out a the last 7 spaces. Nurse is the obvious cut... but yeesh that'll be expensive and probably only buy them one year before McDavid's contract is due.

It is really similar to here with less supporting cast. A team getting on the edge of too old with years of poor drafting killing the depth. They gotta take their shots now because in 3 years there won't be a shot to take.

This was the team Zito inherited: 2019-20 Florida Panthers Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts | Hockey-Reference.com

Every was pretty adamant Florida was done and on the brink of rebuilding due to Bob's anchor of a contract, rumors of Barkov leaving and a bunch of old vets/mercenaries. IIRC they were also dealing with dead cap space due to buyouts/retained salary.

He had some luck, but I have no doubt Zito would figure out a way to make it work in Edmonton.

 

[John Mandalorian]

This was the team Zito inherited: 2019-20 Florida Panthers Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts | Hockey-Reference.com

Every was pretty adamant Florida was done and on the brink of rebuilding due to Bob's anchor of a contract, rumors of Barkov leaving and a bunch of old vets/mercenaries. IIRC they were also dealing with dead cap space due to buyouts/retained salary.

He had some luck, but I have no doubt Zito would figure out a way to make it work in Edmonton.

Moved out some bad contracts adroitly. Acquired Sam Bennett in a buy low move. Won the Tkachuk swap.

Biggest loss might have been the Chiarot trade. But the other moves offset that.

 

[McMetal]

One of my extended family members here is a DIEHARD Oilers fan. I'm talking never misses a game, has season tickets, watches games standing up yelling at the television, believes in conspiracy theories that the Oilers are targeted by Bettman and the league.

Anyways, he to this day complains about the Avs getting "every call" that series (PPs IIRC were 19-15 that series lol) and that Makar's goal was offside, the Oilers got jobbed, yadda yadda yadda.

I would hear him out if the series was 4-2 or 4-3, but 4-0? In what world was a couple extra calls going to prevent the Avs from slaughtering the Oilers that series lmao

The Avs were just unstoppable in 2022. They steamrolled three other teams that year, too, absolutely nothing and nobody could have stood in their way. It's not even that the Oilers were bad, Colorado was just THAT good.

 

[Pokecheque]

This was the team Zito inherited: 2019-20 Florida Panthers Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts | Hockey-Reference.com

Every was pretty adamant Florida was done and on the brink of rebuilding due to Bob's anchor of a contract, rumors of Barkov leaving and a bunch of old vets/mercenaries. IIRC they were also dealing with dead cap space due to buyouts/retained salary.

He had some luck, but I have no doubt Zito would figure out a way to make it work in Edmonton.

I don’t know about that. He’d have a lot less cap room to work with, a worse goaltending situation, and a contract worse than anything else he’s had to deal with in Florida.