GDT: Around the League 2023-2024 "Off Season??!! What off season??!!"

[bellagiobob]

I just found out what "The Griddy" was after seeing this

Heard that the ‘congratulate the bride and groom’ handshake line was quite respectful.

 

[94 Oil Drops]

Heard that the ‘congratulate the bride and groom’ handshake line was quite respectful.

I hope for Mitch's sake his marriage isn't as disappointing as his team's playoff performances.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I hope for Mitch's sake his marriage isn't as disappointing as his team's playoff performances.

He might be divorced by the first round of the playoffs.

 

[BlackDogg]

He might be divorced by the first round of the playoffs.

Word is he only went one round with the wife after the wedding.

 

[joestevens29]

Word is he only went one round with the wife after the wedding.

Most the wedding's I go to the groom is in no shape to even do one round

 

[Stoneman89]

Most the wedding's I go to the groom is in no shape to even do one round

That's why there is a best man.

 

[joestevens29]

That's why there is a best man.

Ya I don't think the groomsmen can step in either.

 

[Morpheus]

Toronto Maple Leafs Had Interest In Milan Lucic, Radko Gudas

Both Milan Lucic and Radko Gudas revealed in separate interviews that Toronto GM Brad Treliving had pursued them in unrestricted free agency.

www.prohockeyrumors.com

Looks like Treliving was interested in Lucic.
Would have been hilarious to see him as a leaf…perhaps next season??

 

[K1984]

Toronto Maple Leafs Had Interest In Milan Lucic, Radko Gudas

Both Milan Lucic and Radko Gudas revealed in separate interviews that Toronto GM Brad Treliving had pursued them in unrestricted free agency.

www.prohockeyrumors.com

Looks like Treliving was interested in Lucic.
Would have been hilarious to see him as a leaf…perhaps next season??

Treliving has rocks in his skull.

Lucic is what I call a "trojan horse" player. A player that absolutely sucks, but coaches and managers reflexively give them important roles or play them too high in the lineup due to a perception of value/leadership that doesn't translate to anything effective on the ice. Players like this always get random top 6 assignments, PP assignments, etc because they will add some "leadership" or "energy" to the line in place of a player that might actually be effective.

 

[joestevens29]

Toronto would've been better off signing Lucic than Reaves.

Younger and cheaper on term and dollars.

although neither guy would've been a better option.

 

[bellagiobob]

Toronto would've been better off signing Lucic than Reaves.

Younger and cheaper on term and dollars.

although neither guy would've been a better option.

In most of Brad’s summer signings the correct answer was D) None of the above.

 

[Mr Positive]

Toronto would've been better off signing Lucic than Reaves.

Younger and cheaper on term and dollars.

although neither guy would've been a better option.

a big sign of poor depth is that your depth is populated with role players. These are players who are useful for only one or two things such as penalty killing, faceoffs, physicality. Or, maybe their job is to develop because they are just young.

The great teams who are ready to win it all tend to have depth players who bring multiple roles, but even more, they have to be able to keep up with the pace of play, and maybe give a good role on top of that.

I think Lucic is much more able to keep up with the play than Reaves could, but maybe Reaves fills the physical role better. But at Reave's age, that seems like a player who will not play much. Seems like a signing based on outdated info to me.

 

[McDoused]

Toronto would've been better off signing Lucic than Reaves.

Younger and cheaper on term and dollars.

although neither guy would've been a better option.

I'll never understand Toronto. They always complain that they need to be harder to play against but then go out and get guys like Simmonds or Reaves who play 5 minutes a night. They arent sticking up for anyone from the bench.

When will they realize that their core is too soft. Like their top 4 dmen are Reilly, Brodie, Klingberg and McCabe. So for 45+ minutes a night they have one guy who can play physical hockey. Losing Schenn, Sandin and Holl might make them "less skilled" but it sure as hell makes them easier to play against.

Meanwhile we have both Nurse and Ekholm out their patrolling our blueline.

 

[Mr Positive]

I'll never understand Toronto. They always complain that they need to be harder to play against but then go out and get guys like Simmonds or Reaves who play 5 minutes a night. They arent sticking up for anyone from the bench.

When will they realize that their core is too soft. Like their top 4 dmen are Reilly, Brodie, Klingberg and McCabe. So for 45+ minutes a night they have one guy who can play physical hockey. Losing Schenn, Sandin and Holl might make them "less skilled" but it sure as hell makes them easier to play against.

Meanwhile we have both Nurse and Ekholm out their patrolling our blueline.

well there is Bertuzzi, but I was checking his stats and was not impressed. He is not a physical player. He is poor in possession, particularly in giveaways and takeaways. He ramped up his intensity in a losing cause vs Florida, but that seems to be the main reason Toronto gave him that big cash, besides getting 30 goals the other year, and fair enough so it's a decent add but not going to change their identity. Another one is Domi, who I heard lots of Leaf fans says brings physical intensity.... and wow is that just because of how they remember his dad? Both these players stay out of the way of other players, and don't block shots. Good players but the team is business as usual. Might as well have kept Bunting and Kerfoot. Not much different. Am I getting these players wrong?

 

[Mr Positive]

Being a Leaf fan must be some kind of slow torture.

for years now, it's been the MO to raise expectations and then crap the bed when it matters. It would be easier to cheer for a bottom feeder. Worse than that, it's not obvious who out of the top 4 forwards to trade. The one obvious one is Tavares, with the full NMC, so it's like a tantalizing fantasy. It can't be Matthews, because he's their top player, 1C. Nylander is the one that shows up in the playoffs. Marner is often their best player, and hard to move at that cap hit. They seem to all take turns being bad or good.

Now this Matthews situation. Nylander is quoted saying he doesn't want to be the only one to leave money on the table to win. That means he would leave money on the table to win if Matthews would. So, because being a Leaf fan is torture, of course it's the one player they just cannot decide to move, Matthews, who is demanding a massive raise instead of taking similar money as MacKinnon and McDavid, and wants that huge cash at short term so he can cash in even more later. So now the one player they should love the most, the face of their team, is just a huge buzz kill and seems like he's holding the team back. If Matthews and Nylander signed at small raises, and then Marner followed, that would open up a huge window to win as the cap expands. Looks like that's not happening.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[Mav3rick07]

I have this feeling that Calgary, despite losing some big pieces, will find a way to stay competitive this year, as they always do. Either Markstrom will go into god-mode or one of their rookies will carry them, they just never seem to go away.

 

[bellagiobob]

I have this feeling that Calgary, despite losing some big pieces, will find a way to stay competitive this year, as they always do. Either Markstrom will go into god-mode or one of their rookies will carry them, they just never seem to go away.

I’m fine with them remaining in the playoff hunt, giving their rookie GM some disillusioned hope that they are just a piece away, they make a boneheaded trade at the deadline that further diminishes their prospect pool, and they miss the playoffs by one point on the last day of the season, and don’t have a draft pick until the 4th round.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I have this feeling that Calgary, despite losing some big pieces, will find a way to stay competitive this year, as they always do. Either Markstrom will go into god-mode or one of their rookies will carry them, they just never seem to go away.

Agree, a lot of key players either are in contract years or are in need of a massive amount of redemption with a lot to prove that last year was an anomaly.

I think 5 Pacific teams make the playoffs this year and the Flames & Seattle take the 2 West wild cards although not necessarily in that order.

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[bellagiobob]

 

[T-Funk]

I guess I've been lucky with the ones I've attended but good lord these millenial/gen z weddings are a cringefest.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

 

[McShogun99]

I have this feeling that Calgary, despite losing some big pieces, will find a way to stay competitive this year, as they always do. Either Markstrom will go into god-mode or one of their rookies will carry them, they just never seem to go away.

They would have made the playoffs last year if they had any other coach besides Sutter. This year they still have the same lineup so I wouldn't be surprised if they finish as high as second in the Pacific.