Around the League - 2024-2025

[MCR74]

There's no way in hell Dubas has even a fraction of Crosby's power level in Pittsburgh.

And he's absolutely earned it, as have Malkin and Letang.

The price paid for Karlsson was too high, a 1st (Konsta Helenius), a 2nd next year and a few journeyman types - but again, you can sort of see how it looked like the right move at the time.

Dubas again shows his inability to take control and his constant deference to others. I don't like nü-speak 'evopsych guys!' lingo, but he's the definition of a beta male.

I unironically think he could be very good as a director of scouting or maybe an AGM, but as the top guy?

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On an unrelated note, what's the deal with this?

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Maybe I'm misremembering, but I believe Canucks fans assured me that he was better than Matthews.

These guys would fit right in with that team:
1 goal between these 5 players.

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Give it time. Dubas will go shopping eventually.

 

[thewave]

Will be interesting to see if he tries to improve their team with the 26 picks he has over the next 3 years.

Leafs have 16.

Probably depends on what Crosby says.

Its Kyle. There will be a future article... "How 26 became just 6" its not gou g well and he is going to empty the bank

 

[stickty111]

Most ice time for the defenders, on for the empty net goal against.

Celebrini 2nd. goal was pretty good.

Only 3 games but so far pretty positive for Liljegren.
Top 4 ice time. Starting 33% in offensive zone so not exactly sheltering him, and xGF% is pretty much break even at just under 50%. Playing 1st PP too. Hasn't been on the ice for a GA at even strength yet.

 

[thewave]

There's no way in hell Dubas has even a fraction of Crosby's power level in Pittsburgh.

And he's absolutely earned it, as have Malkin and Letang.

The price paid for Karlsson was too high, a 1st (Konsta Helenius), a 2nd next year and a few journeyman types - but again, you can sort of see how it looked like the right move at the time.

Dubas again shows his inability to take control and his constant deference to others. I don't like nü-speak 'evopsych guys!' lingo, but he's the definition of a beta male.

I unironically think he could be very good as a director of scouting or maybe an AGM, but as the top guy?

View attachment 927839

==

On an unrelated note, what's the deal with this?

View attachment 927840

Elias for a signed Mitch works for me.

 

[Voodoo Child]

Maybe I'm misremembering, but I believe Canucks fans assured me that he was better than Matthews.

This has been an ongoing concern for them and I think part of it is mental.

But I also think he struggles because after however many years in the league he's still 6'2 176.

Next time they play the Leafs look at his neck; his head looks like a grape with a toothpick sticking out of it. If he was a mobile PMD or two way winger he could get away with it, but not as a #1 center.

205-210 isnt necessary but 190-195 would be a great spot for him. He needs to stop Twinkmaxxing and get on the William Nylander workout plan.

 

[Peasy]

That's a little disingenuous. Neither would any draft picks they would have received instead.

Carolina got the best piece no matter which way you cut it, but it was obvious from the jump that Pittsburgh was targeting players that had already been partially developed than raw picks.
Bunting is having a bad season, yes, but the collection of Lucius, Koivunen, and Pono was the haul they wanted and so far they're looking decent

I mean, the whole reason to get prospects instead of more picks was so that they could help them continue to compete. Thats the reasoning that was laid out. Not one of those prospects are contributing for their team that year. So IMO, that is a massive failure and you did not get from the trade what you set out to do.

 

[uncleben]

I mean, the whole reason to get prospects instead of more picks was so that they could help them continue to compete. Thats the reasoning that was laid out. Not one of those prospects are contributing for their team that year. So IMO, that is a massive failure and you did not get from the trade what you set out to do.

Prospects take years. They were not brought in to help the team this instant.
These kids have been in the organization for, what, two in-season months? Give them some time.

 

[Peasy]

Prospects take years. They were not brought in to help the team this instant.
These kids have been in the organization for, what, two in-season months? Give them some time.

My point is, I personally do not believe any of those prospects he got will become mainstays in the league.

He took a bunch of quantity over quality. He didnt get a single top 5 prospect from the Canes spec pool and couldn't even get a 1st. The guy paid more to get ROR that was having a down year than he got in return for a much better player.

Like this was his singular best trade asset he is going to get to help to re-build and thats what he ended up with...

 

[Dekes For Days]

I mean, the whole reason to get prospects instead of more picks was so that they could help them continue to compete.

It's also because they already have a bunch of picks over the next few years, but a pretty barren prospect pool in the present. It helps spread things out. But they're still in development, and I don't think the expectation was for them to be pieces to help them compete this year. Taking back Bunting (50 point pace since being acquired) as the cap balancer was for the present, the prospects were for the near future, and the draft pick was for the far future. You can't just ignore 3 good prospects obtained in the trade because you don't personally believe in them for not instantly making the team. This place has a bad issue ignoring prospect value. Maybe they all bust, but the draft pick is just as likely to anyway. 3 decent shots at a player seems to be more than worth the small difference between a late 1st and a 2nd (that could have been a 1st).

 

[weems]

Only 3 games but so far pretty positive for Liljegren.
Top 4 ice time. Starting 33% in offensive zone so not exactly sheltering him, and xGF% is pretty much break even at just under 50%. Playing 1st PP too. Hasn't been on the ice for a GA at even strength yet.

Liljegren will probably do fairly well in SJ.
He will get icetime and lots of oppurtunity and when he effs up, not nearly as many people are going to care.
Reality is, its pretty tough for Dman to play in Toronto under the bright lights where every mistake gets massively amplified.
Some players are better suited for smaller markets and lesser attention.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Liljegren will probably do fairly well in SJ.
He will get icetime and lots of oppurtunity and when he effs up, not nearly as many people are going to care.
Reality is, its pretty tough for Dman to play in Toronto under the bright lights where every mistake gets massively amplified.
Some players are better suited for smaller markets and lesser attention.

Smaller market and also a worse team

More freedom to fail can help him improve

 

[Menzinger]

Anyone think he'd have permission to move on from Crosby and Malkin?

Guess Crosby would rather stay put then go to a contender.

Comfortable.

Having Crosby and Malkin retire as Pens almost certainly means more to ownership and that franchise than any draft picks

 

[Antropovsky]

Duba's biggest mistake with Pittsburgh, was going there in the first place. It's a franchise on the decline, nobody was going to make them competitive. It's just bad judgement. There were likely going to be a few jobs open up, with franchises on the way up, which would have been better.

Probably not a mistake...Pittsburgh is paying him 40 mil over 7 years to $%$# there franchise.

 

[Antropovsky]

Agree that it was a situation with limited flexible. Ownership and Sid still want to win. But Dubas' bigger gambles have hurt them:

Dubas being Dubas and going after Karlsson was the start of him creating cap issues which prevented any realistic chance of re-upping Guentzel who was their youngest core guy

Doubling down on Jarry is another big gamble that’s flopped.

Then he's spent a lot on mediocre depth, which is a big issue with that group.

To Pitts: Karlsson, 3rd round pick in 2026

To San Jose: 11th overall, Granlund (led San Jose with 60 in 69 games), he has over a ppg this year.

Also gave away their 2025 2nd to Montreal in the deal.

Bet Grier never thouggt in a million years he wouldve gotten that value from trading Karlsson!