Around the League '16-'17 There are no games after 82 edition

[BigKing]

Okay, I will accept that critique. I don't know how to scout a player or recognize talent better than Bowman or Lombardi, but I can recognize a trend. I can tell you handing out max deals to almost 30 year old players isn't the path to short term or long term success.

To some degree the GMs are victims of their environment, but it would be wise for owners and GMs to recognize their environment and act accordingly.

Those who do will have more success over the long term.

K17-

You definitely aren't wrong; however, no NHL GMs act in this fashion.

If you let your franchise center walk and he continues to put up good numbers for the next three seasons and you struggle, your out of a job. Hell, you could be gone in one season depending on the local media environment. So, it's not just about holding firm to a three year deal at most but also having the pipeline and/or trade plan to acquire replacements. With how bad Kopitar was last season, the Kings still didn't have anyone in the pipeline or an available UFA to even replace the bad Kopitar season. Now, you'll say that is fine as the tank is on but then you are talking about not only the GMs being cool with it but also ownership. Tough sell to go from two cup in three years to "Hey guys, I'm going to blow it up again and we are going to be bad".

So, again, the GMs would have to collude for this to happen as there will always be a GM willing to give the big money and/or a GM that is forced to do so by ownership. Your premise is not wrong, it just isn't practical in the NHL and is something done much easier in the NFL since the contracts aren't guaranteed and the league is an unstoppable money printing machine.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I'm not saying it's simple. Not at all. If it were simple everyone would avoid this kind of trap.

I tend to agree, the bad contracts are a function of the salary cap era and a CBA which allows a maximum contract length of 8 years.

I am simply saying, would you rather have a few years of being a playoff team at the end of a run, or would you rather have your GM get busy on building a contender again. I enjoyed the building years and seeing a plan being executed almost as much as the run. I doubt very much I will enjoy watching the slow, steady decline we are about to witness.

I don't mean to suggest you're saying it's easy per se, just that you make it sound like "just do this and this and this and things will be fine"--but they might not be.

Personally, I'd rather have a few years of being simply a playoff team to see if they can do some magic again before ripping it apart because there are no guarantees they will be there again. It's HARD to make the playoffs--I can't understate that. Some good teams miss every year. We might be a bit spoiled from the last few years. I know you'll say the smart thing is to get ahead of the downfall, and I don't disagree really, but no one will work like that in sports. I enjoy the building process too, I just don't think there are any guarantees. You trade Kopitar, and you could draft 1st overall for a few years and end up with Yakupov, Patrik Stefan, etc. Trade Doughty, and you wait a generation for a player like that again. The process is fun, but imperfect, and more lottery/luck than absolute precision, which is why no GM will back himself into that corner.

 

[AlphaBravo]

I don't mean to suggest you're saying it's easy per se, just that you make it sound like "just do this and this and this and things will be fine"--but they might not be.

Personally, I'd rather have a few years of being simply a playoff team to see if they can do some magic again before ripping it apart because there are no guarantees they will be there again. It's HARD to make the playoffs--I can't understate that. Some good teams miss every year. We might be a bit spoiled from the last few years. I know you'll say the smart thing is to get ahead of the downfall, and I don't disagree really, but no one will work like that in sports. I enjoy the building process too, I just don't think there are any guarantees. You trade Kopitar, and you could draft 1st overall for a few years and end up with Yakupov, Patrik Stefan, etc. Trade Doughty, and you wait a generation for a player like that again. The process is fun, but imperfect, and more lottery/luck than absolute precision, which is why no GM will back himself into that corner.

Too add to this, even if say in 2018 or 2019 there is another McDavid available, you can tank all you want, but you may not end up with the 1st overall to nab this player. Rebuilding is a tricky process. It took the Oilers 10 years to get lucky and finally get McDavid. Toronto, on the other hand, got Matthews (another equally generational talent) within their 3 year rebuild.

Right now I would rather keep the Kopitar, Carter, Quick, Doughty core and see what we can do.

 

[LAKings88]

I have not been a fan for long, since 89, but with teams eras come and go.

The last three years have been tough. Wouldn't trade the experience of 12-14 for anything.

I think you have to give this group a chance with a new coach and system before talking about trading key pieces.

Kopi/Carter/Drew/Quick are the core. They are not old. None are over what 33?

If they suck next year and DD gives indication of moving on, then you look at what assets you can possibly get for him.

I still think this team has a run in them. Need some better filler tho.

 

[fsanford]

Oh boy, now Bowman is bad too?

Guess we'd better tell the guys that have won 5 of the last 6 Cups they know nothing about GMing.

They have gotten old on defense, Campbell 37, Oduya 35, Keith 33, Seabrook 31. These guys have played lots of hockey, probably and added season in just playoff games.

They look slow, and Preds are beating the **** out of them.

They have the same problem as Kings, they trade for Oduya, in hopes they catch the old magic, dude is not that good anymore.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

They have gotten old on defense, Campbell 37, Oduya 35, Keith 33, Seabrook 31. These guys have played lots of hockey, probably and added season in just playoff games.

They look slow, and Preds are beating the **** out of them.

They have the same problem as Kings, they trade for Oduya, in hopes they catch the old magic, dude is not that good anymore.

I guess my point is that all GMs are 'good' until they're 'bad,' and it doesn't mean they're without foresight or dumb. Kenny Holland is a legend, yet the Red Wings are a mess. Same with coaches. Sutter isn't suddenly awful.

 

[King'sPawn]

I guess my point is that all GMs are 'good' until they're 'bad,' and it doesn't mean they're without foresight or dumb. Kenny Holland is a legend, yet the Red Wings are a mess. Same with coaches. Sutter isn't suddenly awful.

You either die a hero, or live long enough to become the villain.

 

[KingsFan7824]

I guess my point is that all GMs are 'good' until they're 'bad,' and it doesn't mean they're without foresight or dumb. Kenny Holland is a legend, yet the Red Wings are a mess. Same with coaches. Sutter isn't suddenly awful.

Easier on the way up. Everyone loves the underdog. If you haven't won, everyone cheers for you.

Every move matters with a cap. Every dollar counts. Can't be stingy though. Can't overpay by too much either. When do you pay a guy? Should the Kings have maybe signed Toffoli to a bigger deal a couple years ago? They wouldn't have been able to have Lucic or keep Williams as a result, but today they might have a better idea of what they can do with Toffoli at maybe a lower cap hit than he'll get this summer.

Don't have forever to make these choices. You have to make them, and all you can do is hope you get a good outcome. If not, then eventually you get fired.

 

[SettlementRichie10]

Players get older. That's just the reality of the game. Either you hold on to them, and hope you get as much mileage as possible. Or you sell them when they still have value, and hope you get good assets in return.

Neither path is a sure fire way to maintaining success. Detroit got lucky as hell by drafting players like Zetterberg and Lidstrom in the later rounds. This was during the Yzerman era when they didn't have a lot of high picks. The Kings haven't been so lucky. The Hawks were able to sign Panarin, who has kept them competitive. Moreover, Hossa had a great year despite his apparently crippling mid-30s age.

 

[kingsfan28]

I guess my point is that all GMs are 'good' until they're 'bad,' and it doesn't mean they're without foresight or dumb. Kenny Holland is a legend, yet the Red Wings are a mess. Same with coaches. Sutter isn't suddenly awful.

He's been living off the late 90's to mid 2000's rep for finding sleeper players and building winners for years. Yet, since those days, he hasn't found anyone close to those players or done much to win more championships. As impressive as the 20 plus years of making the playoff is, they haven't been a contender for almost a decade. They've been a black hole playoff team. Good enough to just make it, not good enough to do anything after that.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

The Kings HAVE to win their 3rd Cup before the Ducks can win their second.

 

[kingsfan28]

The Oilers don't look like a playoff team tonight.

5-0 Sharks

 

[Vamos Rafa]

Do the Ducks and Sharks face tougher 1st round matchups in the old playoff system?

 

[kingsfan28]

The Kings HAVE to win their 3rd Cup before the Ducks can win their second.

No way. It took only a year to get our 2nd, the Ducks are going on 10 years between. We smoked them in game 7 on our way, so we'll always have scoreboard. The Ducks will never win with Getzlaf and Perry as leaders, especially in the big games.

 

[Vamos Rafa]

No way. It took only a year to get our 2nd, the Ducks are going on 10 years between. We smoked them in game 7 on our way, so we'll always have scoreboard. The Ducks will never win with Getzlaf and Perry as leaders, especially in the big games.

But but the Ducks were the first California team to win it and it only took them 14 years of existence!

 

[kingsfan28]

Touchdown SJ.

 

[kingsfan28]

But but the Ducks were the first California team to win it and it only took them 14 years of existence!

Big deal. Our cups were better!

 

[WHOneedsSOX]

San Jose is at a +11 power play differential in 3 2/3 games. Next closest teams are at +2.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

And there's the extra point

 

[kingsfan28]

Sj gets the extra point 7-0. Going for the 2 point conversion...

 

[Reclamation Project]

 

[Mike8]

So far, there isn't a team which kept and paid their almost 30 year old franchise player(s) ridiculous money, and won another championship. There likely won't be one.

Crosby and Malkin?

 

[kingsfan28]

San Jose is at a +11 power play differential in 3 2/3 games. Next closest teams are at +2.

Before tonight, I think they were 1-14.

 

[Reclamation Project]

Crosby and Malkin?

Far different scenario; Crosby is on a 12 year deal and Malkin makes less than Kopitar and Toews. Kopitar makes more than Crosby and McDavid will definitely make more than Kopitar.

 

[kingsboy11]

Jesus Christ Oilers that was embarassing