Around the League - 2022 Off Season Edition

[Rants Mulliniks]

I read somewhere today that PK only wanted to play for two teams this year. Montreal to finish where he started and Toronto to have one final chance at the cup. But there was no interest from either team.

While points are only one component of anything, I found it interesting a week or two ago when people were talking about PK and the HOF. Obviously PK does have a Norris but I have always found the offense side (which like it or not plays a big role in how people rate d-men) between Mo and PK interesting.

70+ - 1/9 Mo 0/13 PK
60+ - 2/9 Mo 1/13 PK
50+ - 3/9 Mo 4/13 PK
40+ - 3/9 Mo 5/13 PK
30+ - 5/9 Mo 9/13 PK
20+ - 9/9 Mo 10/13 PK

Pt/GP - 0.57 Mo 0.56 PK

Be interesting to see Mo's totals over the next 4 years where he hits the same point.

 

[justashadowof]

It's the I-couldn't-get-another-NHL-contract retirement announcement season.

 

[zeke]

While points are only one component of anything, I found it interesting a week or two ago when people were talking about PK and the HOF. Obviously PK does have a Norris but I have always found the offense side (which like it or not plays a big role in how people rate d-men) between Mo and PK interesting.

70+ - 1/9 Mo 0/13 PK
60+ - 2/9 Mo 1/13 PK
50+ - 3/9 Mo 4/13 PK
40+ - 3/9 Mo 5/13 PK
30+ - 5/9 Mo 9/13 PK
20+ - 9/9 Mo 10/13 PK

Pt/GP - 0.57 Mo 0.56 PK

Be interesting to see Mo's totals over the next 4 years where he hits the same point.

PK won a Norris when he wasn't even the #1 dman on his own team.

Don't let anyone ever tell you it's tough playing in Montreal.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

The mystery is why your regular season predictions have been so horribly wrong.

Which of my regular season predictions have been wrong? My argument has long been that the leafs are great at pond hockey (regular season), but when things clamp down in the playoffs their lack of depth kicks in (due to the unprecedented dramatic overpayments) and they fail.

 

[zeke]

Which of my regular season predictions have been wrong? My argument has long been that the leafs are great at pond hockey (regular season), but when things clamp down in the playoffs their lack of depth kicks in (due to the unprecedented dramatic overpayments) and they fail.

That's what your argument had to turn into because you were consistently shocked by their regular season performance.

 

[Throw More Waffles]

That's what your argument had to turn into because you were consistently shocked by their regular season performance.

Proof? The only season I was shocked by regular season success was the all rookie year in 2017. But that surprised pretty much everybody. I was fully supportive of the team top to bottom and VERY hopeful in 2018/2019. But then the unprecedented dramatic overpayments came into the picture, and i IMMEDIATELY said that the leafs would have a lack of depth that would rear its ugly head every year in the playoffs. My posts have been entirely consistent AND PROVEN 100% CORRECT and I'd like you to show me where they weren't.

 

[zeke]

Proof? The only season I was shocked by regular season success was the all rookie year in 2017. But that surprised pretty much everybody. I was fully supportive of the team top to bottom and VERY hopeful in 2018/2019. But then the unprecedented dramatic overpayments came into the picture, and i IMMEDIATELY said that the leafs would have a lack of depth that would rear its ugly head every year in the playoffs. My posts have been entirely consistent AND PROVEN 100% CORRECT and I'd like you to show me where they weren't.

Yes, I know, the Leafs losing a bunch of game 7s has let every critical poster claim they were 100% CORRECT about their own personal pet criticism being THE REASON for the playoffs failures JUST LIKE THEY PREDICTED, no matter how hilariously wrong they've been about how good the team is.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

It's the I-couldn't-get-another-NHL-contract retirement announcement season.

It sounds more like he couldn't get an NHL contract from a team he wanted to go to (which seemingly was only Toronto and MTL).

He has made his money and he has had some injuries which have effectively limited him to being a #6 at best. Other than chasing a Cup, there wasn't much else for him to do in his career, and he probably felt like the physical pain wasn't worth going after a Cup unless he was in a place he liked (which seemingly was Toronto or bust since MTL is years away from seriously competing for one again).

 

[justashadowof]

It sounds more like he couldn't get an NHL contract from a team he wanted to go to (which seemingly was only Toronto and MTL).

He has made his money and he has had some injuries which have effectively limited him to being a #6 at best. Other than chasing a Cup, there wasn't much else for him to do in his career, and he probably felt like the physical pain wasn't worth going after a Cup unless he was in a place he liked (which seemingly was Toronto or bust since MTL is years away from seriously competing for one again).

Chara and Yandle only wanted to sign with Toronto or Montreal? (Also Kurtis Gabriel)

 

[Fogelhund]

""

Islanders going all in. Soshnikov back to the NHL!!!

 

[notDatsyuk]

Matt Tkachuk was an RFA lol

True, although that wasn't the point.

 

[htpwn]

""

Islanders going all in. Soshnikov back to the NHL!!!

Saw that! Seems he's been (back) in Russia since 2019 and judging by his GP stats, he still hasn't solved his main issue (staying healthy).

Makes me wonder if the motive for returning is political. Everyone has a different risk appetite, attachment to their homeland, and so on, but given the deteriorating situation, it would not surprise me if at least some players will end up preferring to play in the AHL in North America over continuing to live in Russia.

Either way/whatever his reason for returning, I wish him well. When healthy, he was one of the more entertaining depth players the Leafs have had in recent years.

 

[Fogelhund]

Saw that! Seems he's been (back) in Russia since 2019 and judging by his GP stats, he still hasn't solved his main issue (staying healthy).

Makes me wonder if the motive for returning is political. Everyone has a different risk appetite, attachment to their homeland, and so on, but given the deteriorating situation, it would not surprise me if at least some players will end up preferring to play in the AHL in North America over continuing to live in Russia.

Either way/whatever his reason for returning, I wish him well. When healthy, he was one of the more entertaining depth players the Leafs have had in recent years.

Keep your head up Sosh. Good Luck.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Chara and Yandle only wanted to sign with Toronto or Montreal? (Also Kurtis Gabriel)

Not necessarily. Yandle apparently had interest from some teams but he wasn't sure if it was worth it for him to come back.

IDK about Chara and Gabriel.

The claim that they are retiring due to a lack of interest doesn't really have proven merit though. Other than Gabriel, who was an enforcer and never really had a purpose in the first place, they are all old and made their money. If they don't get something they love, it is not worth it to them.

It was probably the same with Spezza too. We probably would have taken him back, but in a spare role and he didn't think it was worth it. He retired earlier so that he could enter management right away but these guys may have made up their minds a lot earlier too and were just not in any kind of rush... Or were waiting if that ideal opportunity came up.

 

[123offtheglass]

Good to see Gaudette & Murray pack back on needed weight, health issues had caused both to lose a lot of their strength.

 

[Leaf Fans]

Proof? The only season I was shocked by regular season success was the all rookie year in 2017. But that surprised pretty much everybody. I was fully supportive of the team top to bottom and VERY hopeful in 2018/2019. But then the unprecedented dramatic overpayments came into the picture, and i IMMEDIATELY said that the leafs would have a lack of depth that would rear its ugly head every year in the playoffs. My posts have been entirely consistent AND PROVEN 100% CORRECT and I'd like you to show me where they weren't.

The one thing that is not correct is that the Leafs have players who are massively and unprecedentedly overpaid- after that basically everything.

 

[kb]

The one thing that is not correct is that the Leafs have players who are massively and unprecedentedly overpaid- after that basically everything.

How can you unprecedently overpay a First team all-star C who is a Calder, Hart, Lindsay, and 2 time Rocket winner, and the 2 time 1st team all-star RW? Almost like it's a lost cause because it's been PROVEN wrong, but EGO....

 

[Morbo]

How can you unprecedently overpay a First team all-star C who is a Calder, Hart, Lindsay, and 2 time Rocket winner, and the 2 time 1st team all-star RW? Almost like it's a lost cause because it's been PROVEN wrong, but EGO....

They weren't overpayments, dramatic, or even unprecedented (Eichel).

 

[1specter]

Good to see Gaudette & Murray pack back on needed weight, health issues had caused both to lose a lot of their strength.

Damn, Nylander is huge now. Also big gain for Abruzzese who needed it

 

[paulhiggins]

Good to see Gaudette & Murray pack back on needed weight, health issues had caused both to lose a lot of their strength.

Is that any different than other years where they put on weight over the summer (beer, BBQs and less physical activity) and lose it by the time training camp is over? Are they comparing end of season weights with start of training camp weights or are they comparing training camp weights in Sept 2021 vs Sept 2022?

 

[fahad203]

Damn, Nylander is huge now. Also big gain for Abruzzese who needed it

No where near Virtanen.....227 of pure butter and oil

Is that any different than other years where they put on weight over the summer (beer, BBQs and less physical activity) and lose it by the time training camp is over?

Those NHL days are long gone. Do hockey players even drink anymore?
Used to be you go for beers after the games

 

[ULF_55]

No where near Virtanen.....227 of pure butter and oil



Those NHL days are long gone. Do hockey players even drink anymore?
Used to be you go for beers after the games

Yeah, we're talking a lifetime of money in a couple years of work so the competition isn't against off-season milkmen. Note1

From what I've read a few weeks off after the season ends and then summer training.


Note1.
Milkmen used to go door to door dropping off milk in the breadbox near the backdoor of your house.
You'd leave money in the box for the breadman and milkman and they would take the money that was due to them.
Breadmen did the same thing, they'd drop off a loaf or two of bread and take their money.

 

[SprDaVE]

Couturier and Ellis out long-term again for the Flyers. Ellis out for the year? That team refused to rebuild and refused to sign Gaudreau.

Should be interesting what happens. They just hired Tortorella as well.

 

[ULF_55]

Couturier and Ellis out long-term again for the Flyers. Ellis out for the year again? That team refused to rebuild and refused to sign Gaudreau.

Should be interesting what happens. They just hired Tortorella as well.

With Torts they might have others pull the chute!

 

[Mess]

Gino Redick of TSN That's Hockey was trolling the Leafs yesterday.

With the retirement of Zdno Chara yesterday he pointed out that there is no longer a single player playing in the NHL today of the 1000 + players that has ever lost a playoff series to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Leafs playoff losing streak dating back to 2004 now has outlived all current NHLers.