Around the League - 2024-2025 Part II

[TheGreenTBer]

I would say there are ZERO fans that think Matthews is better at this point.

It was an interesting, delusional debate 2 years ago and that's it.

I would rather have McDavid at his current cap hit than Matthews at league minimum.

 

[SprDaVE]

Maybe if Dallas had less pressure they'd perform better. Jokes aside, I think adding Ceci to be your top matching defensive defenseman was such a terrible move by them. Granlund made sense though and did well.

With Heiskanen injured and likely not 100% by the time he came back, they should have been able to add a much better defenseman.

 

[TIGERCOOL]

I would say there are ZERO fans that think Matthews is better at this point.

It was an interesting, delusional debate 2 years ago and that's it.

it wasn't just fans... the Athletic's model had him as the highest overall impact player in the league for a year and a half.

When Matthews is healthy he's an absolute beast. I doubt we ever see that conversation reasonably presented again, but he should get back to 50-60 goals and be a clear cut top 5 player

 

[TIGERCOOL]

Do you think Matthews will be able to skate faster if he watches McDavid?

I’ve watched Bobby Orr, Wayne, even saw Gordie, Mario, Bossy, Lemieux, Sid, Coffey, Messier…..all of them but I still couldnt skate and play anything like them.

speed is such a factor in the playoffs. when the checking tightens up to such an insane degree you can't rely on great positioning anymore, you need to create separation on your own. That's why Willy is our best playoff forward. That's why third and fourth line plugs with jump suddenly become gamebreakers (Kapanen). That's why guys like Phil Kessel can lead a Penguins team with Crosby and Malkin on the roster in playoff scoring.

You can also see the space that speed makes for teammates to succeed. Leon Draisaitl, the best goal scorer in the league this year, can disappear on the ice because the defence are completely frazzled by McDavid's speed. It wears teams down like Florida's forecheck. By the end of the series Dallas defenders were spinning on the spot. They looked shell shocked.

I've been praying we would add some speed to this lineup for ages. Probably the slowest team in the league, especially down the middle.

 

[Menzinger]

Maurice's handshake stuff this playoffs has been really weird. He's never felt this way before too. Can't help but wonder if he wants to avoid awkward conversations after the way he gets his team to play.

His public shitick gets old really fast, especially all the condescending stuff he put out about the Leafs earlier



The conversation between him and Brind'Aamour

 

[Nineteen67]

speed is such a factor in the playoffs. when the checking tightens up to such an insane degree you can't rely on great positioning anymore, you need to create separation on your own. That's why Willy is our best playoff forward. That's why third and fourth line plugs with jump suddenly become gamebreakers (Kapanen). That's why guys like Phil Kessel can lead a Penguins team with Crosby and Malkin on the roster in playoff scoring.

You can also see the space that speed makes for teammates to succeed. Leon Draisaitl, the best goal scorer in the league this year, can disappear on the ice because the defence are completely frazzled by McDavid's speed. It wears teams down like Florida's forecheck. By the end of the series Dallas defenders were spinning on the spot. They looked shell shocked.

I've been praying we would add some speed to this lineup for ages. Probably the slowest team in the league, especially down the middle.

It’s more about being able to win 50/50 battles. When they constantly get beat they have no choice but to qui, and they do.
Willy just doesn’t compete unless he gets a scoring chance out of it or he knows he’s not going to get pasted.

 

[uncleben]

Maurice's handshake stuff this playoffs has been really weird. He's never felt this way before too. Can't help but wonder if he wants to avoid awkward conversations after the way he gets his team to play.

His public shitick gets old really fast, especially all the condescending stuff he put out about the Leafs earlier



The conversation between him and Brind'Aamour

So dumb, imo

 

[MCR74]

The Oilers better have their backup goalie on standby for when Bennett takes a run at Skinner.

 

[Fogelhund]

speed is such a factor in the playoffs. when the checking tightens up to such an insane degree you can't rely on great positioning anymore, you need to create separation on your own. That's why Willy is our best playoff forward. That's why third and fourth line plugs with jump suddenly become gamebreakers (Kapanen). That's why guys like Phil Kessel can lead a Penguins team with Crosby and Malkin on the roster in playoff scoring.

You can also see the space that speed makes for teammates to succeed. Leon Draisaitl, the best goal scorer in the league this year, can disappear on the ice because the defence are completely frazzled by McDavid's speed. It wears teams down like Florida's forecheck. By the end of the series Dallas defenders were spinning on the spot. They looked shell shocked.

I've been praying we would add some speed to this lineup for ages. Probably the slowest team in the league, especially down the middle.

I agree on adding speed down the middle.

Matthews 61% skating top speed in NHL. Bursts over 20mph... 58th percentile.

I agree Tavares looks slow... and yet.. he's right at the average, but above average in bursts over 20mph.
Domi is well above average. 94th percentile..

Of the big names, that are either UFA... or "might" be available.

Bennett 56th percentile
Granlund Below 50th percentile
Karlsson 83rd percentile.

Karlsson is the one you hope for, if you want speed down the middle... the other don't really help that much. Ehlers has a ton of speed as a potential winger acquisition.. 94th percentile.

Of the... rehome a power forward.. Marchment/E.Kane type guys... E. Kane is a good skater at 70th percentile...

Ignoring cap hits.. acquisition costs... if you could add Ehlers, Karlsson and E. Kane.. .you increase your team speed in the top six.

 

[LeafalCrusader]

The Oilers better have their backup goalie on standby for when Bennett takes a run at Skinner.

Make it so for Captain Pickard!

 

[Fogelhund]

MSN

Sabres hire former Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen as senior adviser

Man.. those Sabres... seeking out winning personnel... by selecting a fired Blue Jackets GM, who didn't do much with them.

 

[Jojalu]

TTOE?

That is was he calls Montreal.

That team out east

 

[Leafs98]

Maurice's handshake stuff this playoffs has been really weird. He's never felt this way before too. Can't help but wonder if he wants to avoid awkward conversations after the way he gets his team to play.

His public shitick gets old really fast, especially all the condescending stuff he put out about the Leafs earlier





The conversation between him and Brind'Aamour

And yet he draws attention to the coaches even more so

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[mikeyz]

Am I the only one hoping for Panthers to win?

You’re definitely not the only one. I hope they do too.

 

[mikeyz]

Not sure why you’re asking me specifically but there isn’t anyone that wouldn’t make that trade, seems silly to propose it.

Lol. I was just busting your chops.

I only proposed this because this was a discussion in a group chat with a few friends of mine. They said they wouldn’t do it, because the dead cap would be too much.

 

[OddyOh]

Am I the only one hoping for Panthers to win?

After what they did to Stolarz, I could never cheer for Florida.

Not really cheering for Edmonton either, it’s more of a Canada vs USA vibe this year.

 

[TheShape]

Maurice's handshake stuff this playoffs has been really weird. He's never felt this way before too. Can't help but wonder if he wants to avoid awkward conversations after the way he gets his team to play.

His public shitick gets old really fast, especially all the condescending stuff he put out about the Leafs earlier



The conversation between him and Brind'Aamour

Paul Maurice is an egomaniac who thinks he's some pioneer trying to reinvent the handshake line ritual, it's all very cringe worthy. He frames it as it being about the players but it's all done is put more spotlight on Maurice. He comes off extremely disingenuous to me.

I think all the recent success has got to his head. Only silver lining to the Oilers winning is it ensures this guy doesn't get another ring.

 

[ToneDog]

Perry who Shanny and Dubas passed on for Simmonds is playing on the Oilers top line and has 7 goals. Kappy who could have been brought back for nothing at minimum salary is playing with Draisaitl and is in the SCF.

Meanwhile who knows what the f*** the 3 amigos are doing since they were sent golfing.

 

[ToneDog]

Dallas' depth up front was not able to get it done but you are not winning anything with Ceci, Petrovic on your D and Oettinger being outplayed by Skinner.

 

[Gallagbi]

Am I the only one hoping for Panthers to win?

I'm cheering for a natural disaster that causes an end to the series, maybe a casualty or two, and if that fails, then the Panthers

 

[Gallagbi]

Dallas' depth up front was not able to get it done but you are not winning anything with Ceci, Petrovic on your D and Oettinger being outplayed by Skinner.

Their top players were pretty ass too. Rantanen had a good week or two, Harley was solid, but Duchene, Benn, JRob, Hintz, Johnson struggled

 

[bax]

Perry who Shanny and Dubas passed on for Simmonds is playing on the Oilers top line and has 7 goals. Kappy who could have been brought back for nothing at minimum salary is playing with Draisaitl and is in the SCF.

Meanwhile who knows what the f*** the 3 amigos are doing since they were sent golfing.

Not signing Perry still bugs me.

 

[Kurtz]

In trying to figure out who to root for in the Finals, I keep coming back to really the only question that matters - is McDavid more likely to sign here if he wins the Oilers the cup, or if he doesn't?

I can't come up with an answer, but I'm leaning towards the former. If he gets Oil that cup I think he'll absolve himself of any guilt in signing with another team. If he doesn't, I think he'll feel obligated to keep trying there.