Around the League 2022-23 season thread - part II

[FinnishDevil]

Could have another decent season as a backup in the NHL, but I overrated him a bit and liked this deal from Detroit. That's an instance on goalie evaluation where I'll take my licks and say I couldn't have been more wrong.

Aha, look at Bleed having to eat crow once again!

 

[VoidCreature]

I mean, we have to extend Bratt no matter what the cost at this point right? How could ownership sell to the fans that we wouldn't pay one of our stars the year we finally break out of our rebuild?

 

[My3Sons]

I mean, we have to extend Bratt no matter what the cost at this point right? How could ownership sell to the fans that we wouldn't pay one of our stars the year we finally break out of our rebuild?

if he doesn't extend with NJ my guess the offers will be made public even if in a roundabout way.

 

[goldnblack]

I’ve never seen passion from the guy. I don’t care what he does in Boston, just as long that it’s in Boston.

Team culture goes a long way towards changing underperforming players. I don't know how much longer we'll have this kind of culture (it's pretty special), but for now this culture is rubbing off in the best possible way on Zacha. He was second star today with 2g/1a, but the skill level was among the best I've seen in black and gold. Even in a short 40+ games we're watching him grow as an NHL player.

We did this same thing with Blake Wheeler, in reverse. In 2011 the trade was more or less Peverely for Wheeler. And this trade feels a lot like that one. I'm very grateful for Peverely. He was a good soldier, and played his part in winning the cup that very year. Obviously we know the career Wheeler went on to have.

I just think sometimes the right mentors for a guy is everything. Zacha is getting schooled by some of the best in #37 and #46.

 

[My3Sons]

Team culture goes a long way towards changing underperforming players. I don't know how much longer we'll have this kind of culture (it's pretty special), but for now this culture is rubbing off in the best possible way on Zacha. He was second star today with 2g/1a, but the skill level was among the best I've seen in black and gold. Even in a short 40+ games we're watching him grow as an NHL player.

We did this same thing with Blake Wheeler, in reverse. In 2011 the trade was more or less Peverely for Wheeler. And this trade feels a lot like that one. I'm very grateful for Peverely. He was a good soldier, and played his part in winning the cup that very year. Obviously we know the career Wheeler went on to have.

I just think sometimes the right mentors for a guy is everything. Zacha is getting schooled by some of the best in #37 and #46.

The issue for him will be if he can keep it up when the veteran core includes him as opposed to him being brought along by the veteran core.

 

[goldnblack]

The issue for him will be if he can keep it up when the veteran core includes him as opposed to him being brought along by the veteran core.

That's certainly a fair question to ask. But in turn I'll ask:

When was the situation where it would have been fair to ascertain his ability to lead20 from the front?

It wasn't during the 80-90 games where he first ever got to North America with Sarnia.
It probably wasn't as he was thrust into the NHL at the age of 18-19 in a tough rebuild.
He goes from that more or less right into a global pandemic. I guess the years you would hope he'd be a bit more developed and mature would be 2020-2022 when he's still basically a 23 year old kid in a pandemic.

In Boston the pandemic is basically over. He's shed the heavy expectations of being a high pick. He gets to be groomed by two of the best Czech players to ever lace them up, who play on his line (and are best of friends). I think the guy is basically still developing, like how Brad Marchand was such a late bloomer.

Don't get me wrong, the guy had Kovalev type lazy potential written all over him. But that stuff doesn't fly in Boston, and you learn that you have cult hero status if you work hard. For a lot of guys, that sticks. Let's hope it does with him too. And I hope Haula also does amazing. He was loved in Boston.

 

[My3Sons]

That's certainly a fair question to ask. But in turn I'll ask:

When was the situation where it would have been fair to ascertain his ability to lead20 from the front?

It wasn't during the 80-90 games where he first ever got to North America with Sarnia.
It probably wasn't as he was thrust into the NHL at the age of 18-19 in a tough rebuild.
He goes from that more or less right into a global pandemic. I guess the years you would hope he'd be a bit more developed and mature would be 2020-2022 when he's still basically a 23 year old kid in a pandemic.

In Boston the pandemic is basically over. He's shed the heavy expectations of being a high pick. He gets to be groomed by two of the best Czech players to ever lace them up, who play on his line (and are best of friends). I think the guy is basically still developing, like how Brad Marchand was such a late bloomer.

Don't get me wrong, the guy had Kovalev type lazy potential written all over him. But that stuff doesn't fly in Boston, and you learn that you have cult hero status if you work hard. For a lot of guys, that sticks. Let's hope it does with him too. And I hope Haula also does amazing. He was loved in Boston.

I don’t doubt he will do better in Boston but I’m skeptical he’s ever a true top six guy. The only thing he lacks is love for the game on some level. I don’t think he’s lazy. He’s just a big kid who is really good at hockey. I don’t see passion for it and all the tutelage in thr wolrd can’t make that appear. He tries but someone who does something because he’s good at as opposed to loving it will have ups and downs. I wish him well. He comes across as a good kid.

 

[glenwo2]

I mean, we have to extend Bratt no matter what the cost at this point right? How could ownership sell to the fans that we wouldn't pay one of our stars the year we finally break out of our rebuild?

Pretty much.

Bratt had another 2 points today (and was robbed of a sure OT-Game Winner by a great defensive play by Karlsson) so he's proven to Fitz that he's worth the investment.

And it was said that term was not the issue (and Fitz said he wants Bratt to be here for a long time) so 8 years is already agreed upon (I imagine)....Pay the man, Fitz.

Do not worry about stupid Optics at this point.

Your goal is to lock up the core long-term.

When Jack gets his next contract, it will blow Bratt's clear out of the water (thus satisfying the so-called "Optics" crowd).

 

[Guttersniped]

Team culture goes a long way towards changing underperforming players. I don't know how much longer we'll have this kind of culture (it's pretty special), but for now this culture is rubbing off in the best possible way on Zacha. He was second star today with 2g/1a, but the skill level was among the best I've seen in black and gold. Even in a short 40+ games we're watching him grow as an NHL player.

We did this same thing with Blake Wheeler, in reverse. In 2011 the trade was more or less Peverely for Wheeler. And this trade feels a lot like that one. I'm very grateful for Peverely. He was a good soldier, and played his part in winning the cup that very year. Obviously we know the career Wheeler went on to have.

I just think sometimes the right mentors for a guy is everything. Zacha is getting schooled by some of the best in #37 and #46.

“Groomed”



On a more serious note.

Zacha has played with great players 5v5 all season now and he doubled the amount of his 5v5 goals by scoring two today. And he scored them in a 6-0 romp against a bottom feeder.

Zacha has great games against weak teams and then fades away again.

Most importantly Zacha doesn’t shoot enough or well enough to score that much 5v5.

His scoring issues seem to be exactly the same in Boston even though he’s played easier minutes. He had five goals before today and they were 2 5v5, 1 4v4, 1 PP and 1 EN.

All that list is missing is a SH and OT and it would be a classic Zacha goal list. It tends to have a lot of non-5v5 goals because he does better on open ice.

He played 6 seasons here, we mulled over his play and analytics a lot.

If other aspects of his game make up for that, then that isn’t an unacceptable flaw. He’s also had a fluky good shooting year in 2020-21 and maybe he’ll have another one.

It’s not the same as Wheeler because Wheeler was a 24 RFA when Winnipeg traded for him.

The Jets signed him to a 2 year/2.55m deal and he was still a RFA after that, then they signed him to a 6 year/5.6m deal.

We got a year of Haula in exchange for a year of Zacha, he was going to sign his Qualifying Offer if we kept him and then be a UFA. Boston re-signed a UFA.

Haula worked for us in a lot of specific ways, we’re in a cap crunch and he has a cap hit of 2.375m, and he’s a real center (55.1% FO%).

Zacha could be a solid, useful player for Boston if his defense keeps improving and they can get him to shoot more. We know basically what he is though.

 

[Bleedred]

More garbage from the RutherFOOL/Boudreau saga.

Publicly admitting he's talked to other guys about the job, both recently and earlier in the year. But that he's the coach for now or ''At this time'' or whatever the quote was.

I would quit if I were Boudreau and tell him to go f*** himself as I'm walking out the door. Middle fingers flying.

I'd say I'm no longer working for this piece of shit or his mute GM that seems more like a go-for to Rutherford at this point than anything.

 

[Hisch13r]

lol Pronman has Dahlin over Hughes

https://theathletic.com/4046339/2023/01/17/nhl-players-prospects-ranking-young/?source=user_shared_article

 

[Blender]

 

[Blender]

lol Pronman has Dahlin over Hughes

https://theathletic.com/4046339/2023/01/17/nhl-players-prospects-ranking-young/?source=user_shared_article

Boxscore watching I assume. Dahlin has 48 points in 41 games as a defenseman so he must be better than a forward with 55 points in 44 games.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

lol Pronman has Dahlin over Hughes

https://theathletic.com/4046339/2023/01/17/nhl-players-prospects-ranking-young/?source=user_shared_article

Brain worms, this is like the shit from last year with Hughes v Seider

 

[Devils731]

lol Pronman has Dahlin over Hughes

https://theathletic.com/4046339/2023/01/17/nhl-players-prospects-ranking-young/?source=user_shared_article

They’re both the only players in the “elite” tier so it’s really splitting hairs.

 

[Hisch13r]

They’re both the only players in the “elite” tier so it’s really splitting hairs.

But in reality it’s not splitting hairs nor is Dahlin ahead. Dahlin’s great. Jack’s clearly better. Before the season he also had Seider and Zegras in the same tier as Jack. Pronman’s gonna Pronman.

 

[Devils731]

But in reality it’s not splitting hairs nor is Dahlin ahead. Dahlin’s great. Jack’s clearly better. Before the season he also had Seider and Zegras in the same tier as Jack. Pronman’s gonna Pronman.

I think you might get disagreement from Buffalo fans that anything is clear when they’re seeing a defenseman playing 26 minutes a night, team tilts the ice more when he’s on it then off, and he’s on pace for almost 100 points.

 

[severian]

I think you might get disagreement from Buffalo fans that anything is clear when they’re seeing a defenseman playing 26 minutes a night, team tilts the ice more when he’s on it then off, and he’s on pace for almost 100 points.

I’m not offended with Jack being considered a hair behind a potential Norris trophy winning former 1st overall pick.

 

[Blender]

Dahlin is a top tier player, but his 5on5 impacts are not at the same level as Hughes.

 

[Hisch13r]

Sens are just Canucks west

 

[Hisch13r]

Dahlin is a top tier player, but his 5on5 impacts are not at the same level as Hughes.

It’d be one thing if roles were reversed and Dahlin was better last year and in the conversation for 1st and then Jack made his leap this year. It’s not though. Jack was better last year and I think he had him 2nd to Robertson. Now Jack is still better but somehow Dahlin jumps him?

 

[Devils731]

It’d be one thing if roles were reversed and Dahlin was better last year and in the conversation for 1st and then Jack made his leap this year. It’s not though. Jack was better last year and I think he had him 2nd to Robertson. Now Jack is still better but somehow Dahlin jumps him?

Dahlin is on pace to have the 20th most points in a season for a defenseman in NHL history.

Does he keep that up, maybe not, but he’s right now in the middle of what may be a historic season.

He might win the Norris if the season ended today so I’m having trouble seeing that Dahlin “clearly” can’t be the top choice.

Have your preference but both players put in the same tier seem reasonable to me.

 

[Call Me Al]

not to discount dahlin but thompson has 14 ppg how many of his assists are just dishing it off to the guy with the monster shot?

 

[MasterofGrond]

lol Pronman has Dahlin over Hughes

https://theathletic.com/4046339/2023/01/17/nhl-players-prospects-ranking-young/?source=user_shared_article

Say what you will about Pronman, but he is never scared to differ on consensus if he has a different take.

 

[severian]

I mean, we have to extend Bratt no matter what the cost at this point right? How could ownership sell to the fans that we wouldn't pay one of our stars the year we finally break out of our rebuild?

Somewhere around Fiala's AAV is probably the most reasonable number. I'm sure the Fitz wants around 7 and Bratt wants 9. I'm assuming the issue is more term than AAV. Bratt might be looking for 4-5 years so he can get another bite at the apple as a UFA when he's 29-ish. You can still get that 7 year deal as a UFA at that age.