Around the League - 2023/24

[henchman21]

Maybe not the best thing for Marek to do but Jesus, you don't have to fire the guy over it. The league is getting their undies in a twist over nothing, and bitched to Sportsnet. That's really annoying.

It could be a huge legal issue... the gaming commissions are not something you want to mess with and the NHL can't lose their relationships with them because of how much revenue it brings in.

 

[LOFIN]

Am I missing something? Didn't they say that the books are closed for the draft picks 24h before the draft? So what Marek did has absolutely zero influence in betting.

 

[Pokecheque]

It could be a huge legal issue... the gaming commissions are not something you want to mess with and the NHL can't lose their relationships with them because of how much revenue it brings in.

I still don't believe that's why they freaked out about this, I think they just got pissy he shared classified information with a buddy and the buddy tweeted "I'd bet on it" in a tweet.

The article in The Athletic made it clear there's no evidence whatsoever Marek or Seidel used the information to place bets and there doesn't appear to be any info linking them to someone who did.

 

[Balthazar]

I still don't believe that's why they freaked out about this, I think they just got pissy he shared classified information with a buddy and the buddy tweeted "I'd bet on it" in a tweet.

The article in The Athletic made it clear there's no evidence whatsoever Marek or Seidel used the information to place bets and there doesn't appear to be any info linking them to someone who did.

That's still piss poor judgement though. I expected better from Marek.

Doing it with one pick is one thing, doing it with all the picks while his buddy is tweeting the picks live is f***ing dumb. I'm OK with the NHL making an example out of this and I get why Sportsnet would be pissed off. That was clearly privileged information and Marek should have known better.

 

[dahrougem2]

Personally, I have no dog in this fight as I don't gamble; however, I think the US has a pretty good track record of proving you can't legislate morality in a democracy.

I think I'll steer clear of giving the U.S credit for anything.

Interested to hear why? Fantasy hockey is gambling and I see no harm in that. Telling people they can't do something usually just breeds new more dangerous versions of said thing imo.

Fantasy hockey doesn't have to be gambling, you can play it for fun and for free.

You don't care about the First Nation people?

Lmao underrated post.

The main issue is the other advertisers disappeared.


Then criminals will get even richer.

Then let the criminals take their chances with the law. That's what law enforcement is for.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I think I'll steer clear of giving the U.S credit for anything.

 

[LOFIN]

 

[henchman21]

I still don't believe that's why they freaked out about this, I think they just got pissy he shared classified information with a buddy and the buddy tweeted "I'd bet on it" in a tweet.

The article in The Athletic made it clear there's no evidence whatsoever Marek or Seidel used the information to place bets and there doesn't appear to be any info linking them to someone who did.

It is possible, even probably nothing was gained. Can't even have the optics and survive in the gambling world if you want a cut of the money. Whether we like it or not (and I don't), the NHL is in bed with the industry and has to play by their rules.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

It is possible, even probably nothing was gained. Can't even have the optics and survive in the gambling world if you want a cut of the money. Whether we like it or not (and I don't), the NHL is in bed with the industry and has to play by their rules.

It's why I have such freaking heartburn over how truly terrible the officiating currently is. We used to be able to say, it's the hardest job in sports... they are doing the best they can. Now, we have to wonder every game why what was not called a penalty for 50 minutes has now become one in the final 10. It's not the normally, historic "bad on-ice" calls they make, it's the literal dozen, dozen a half penalties a game they don't call that's causing the refs to have undue influence on the outcomes of games.

 

[henchman21]

It's why I have such freaking heartburn over how truly terrible the officiating currently is. We used to be able to say, it's the hardest job in sports... they are doing the best they can. Now, we have to wonder every game why what was not called a penalty for 50 minutes has now become one in the final 10. It's not the normally, historic "bad on-ice" calls they make, it's the literal dozen, dozen a half penalties a game they don't call that's causing the refs to have undue influence on the outcomes of games.

I disagree with the influence and making every call by the book would end up far, far more annoying. It is a be careful what you wish for situation IMO.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I disagree with the influence and making every call by the book would end up far, far more annoying. It is a be careful what you wish for situation IMO.

You aren't worried that the uneven calling of the rule book deliberately gives one team a distinct advantage by being awarded a PP opportunity that was denied the other team all night and the implications this can have for gambling?

 

[henchman21]

You aren't worried that the uneven calling of the rule book deliberately gives one team a distinct advantage by being awarded a PP opportunity that was denied the other team all night and the implications this can have for gambling?

I don’t believe it to be that uneven. There might be nights where it sways, but overall it floats to close to even. Missed calls happen on both ends. The less calls in general are better for the game and even the players advocated for that when after the lockout the games were just power plays.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

I don’t believe it to be that uneven. There might be nights where it sways, but overall it floats to close to even. Missed calls happen on both ends. The less calls in general are better for the game and even the players advocated for that when after the lockout the games were just power plays.

I used to be able to say that. But NHL refs have never been this bad and this inconsistent in the 35ish years I've been watching. Yes, there were always some vaarience but it was due mostly to refs having different individual thresholds, not because they suddenly decided to change their threshold unannounced in the third period as they tend to do now. Think about how many teams have been making comebacks the last few years? I'm no big conspiracy theorist but there's ample evidence to show officiating is impacting the game in ways it is not intended to do.

 

[henchman21]

I used to be able to say that. But NHL refs have never been this bad and this inconsistent in the 35ish years I've been watching. Yes, there were always some vaarience but it was due mostly to refs having different individual thresholds, not because they suddenly decided to change their threshold unannounced in the third period as they tend to do now. Think about how many teams have been making comebacks the last few years? I'm no big conspiracy theorist but there's ample evidence to show officiating is impacting the game in ways it is not intended to do.

I think the voices are just louder more than anything else. Penalties are not drastically different. Around 3 per game per team for a decade.

What I think has changed is goaltending. The equipment got a lot smaller. It changed over the course of a couple years and isn’t inline with all other leagues. The goalies that are in the league now didn’t develop with these new size standards. So they are adjusting on the fly. I think that has had a pretty drastic and intentional impact on the quality of the goaltending in the league. Which is allowing a lot more comebacks.

 

[Avs_19]

I like betting on sports for fun. Nothing too big, just little bets here and there to add some excitement to games. I don't think I've bet more than $100 on a single bet and that was during the playoffs when I parlayed the Avs/Nuggets together....whoops.

We have no idea what the full details are but based on what I've read it doesn't sound like Marek did anything too wrong. Maybe bad optics for the league and then it seems like an overreaction to it. Again, don't know for sure though so maybe it was something else.

 

[Balthazar]

The article is trash but I like this idea...if a player signs a contract of 4 years or more, as soon as he reaches 35 only half of his cap hit would be eligible for LTIR.

IMO 50% is still too much but that's a start.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1818344085725315533

 

[UncleRisto]

They haven't disappeared as much as sport gambling is willing to pay a lot of money, because they make a lot of money. The business side of the sport dictates that the sports gambling money will win out. I'd argue it is a societal good to limit the exposure... much like cigarette ads getting banned. I don't care if people smoke, but it shouldn't be promoted. Frankly I'd say the same of any vices out there... booze, gambling, etc.

Though as we hit an election cycle here in the states, sports is about to be bombarded by political ads too. So each commercial break will be Draft Kings -> Trump/Kamala -> Bet 365 -> Senate Race -> Groove Subaru... then upon returning and update to the odds brought to you by FanDuel.

Yup. Are MTV commercial breaks the same over there? Internet casino, internet casino, internet casino, internet casino, internet casino, internet casino...

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Never thought I'd particularly miss ads for Scubbing Bubbles, Irish Spring, pancake syrup or hot pockets so much. Heck, up here on streaming services there are only two local companies the get air time (GCI is the leading cable, IPS company in the state and #2 cell company to AT&T I believe and the other is actually an honest to god local auto and diesel mechanic outfit called Gabe's of all things).

I'm particularly fond of the mechanic's name.

 

[Pokecheque]

I liked it better when NHL Network ran ads for J.G. Wentworth and Beezid.

 

[Murzu]

Subarus are suba kool

 

[henchman21]

Yup. Are MTV commercial breaks the same over there? Internet casino, internet casino, internet casino, internet casino, internet casino, internet casino...

I don't even know if MTV still exists here.

 

[UncleRisto]

I don't even know if MTV still exists here.

Now that you mention it, it doesn't here either.

Or it does, but only kind of. Well, that's how those commercial breaks were 10 years ago.

 

[Hasbro]

Gambling should be outlawed worldwide

That'll work!

Paid my Best Buy card and paid for a couple vacations with sportsbooks.

 

[Lonewolfe2015]

I don’t believe it to be that uneven. There might be nights where it sways, but overall it floats to close to even. Missed calls happen on both ends. The less calls in general are better for the game and even the players advocated for that when after the lockout the games were just power plays.

IMO it's not whether the score evens out over the game or season. It's the lack of consistency in the call across the different refs. It could be attributed to human bias in some ways if not ignorance, which ca. Go back to their original point in a gambling environment.

I more so just worry the league isn't building enough consistency in how it enforces a call which leads to players being unable to build any rhythm in how they play on the ice.

 

[UnkleKraker]

Not a gambler and not because of any moral stance but because the house wins and I like to keep my hard earned doubloons. Trying to ban it in the USA is ridiculous though. Even the government makes a good amount of coin off of it via Lotteries