Around the League 2024-25 season

[fivehole32]

I was shocked at first that the Kraken fired Bylsma. I mean their roster is structured horribly. However I saw an article from Seattle KOMO and on the business side they have a lot of STH that are pissed off at the ticket prices and food prices and the team is mediocre at best, so I think that are sacrificing him and I am sure some of their younger guys soon to win now.

Sounds like they were requiring STH to sign up for 3 or 5 year terms and people were revolting. I know here at their AHL affiliate the ticket prices aren't bad, but food prices are more than at most pro stadiums and the parking is more than a ticket to the game.

 

[Herby]

I was shocked at first that the Kraken fired Bylsma. I mean their roster is structured horribly. However I saw an article from Seattle KOMO and on the business side they have a lot of STH that are pissed off at the ticket prices and food prices and the team is mediocre at best, so I think that are sacrificing him and I am sure some of their younger guys soon to win now.

Sounds like they were requiring STH to sign up for 3 or 5 year terms and people were revolting. I know here at their AHL affiliate the ticket prices aren't bad, but food prices are more than at most pro stadiums and the parking is more than a ticket to the game.

In the big picture, Seattle being so good in year 2 was really bad for their long-term outlook.

I don’t think either of their top 5 picks (Beniers or Wright) are going to be franchise players, and their best chance to get a franchise player was picking high in 2023, which was the year that they wildly overachieved and made the 2nd round. They had something like 12 guys score 12 or more goals that year and for a lot of those guys it was a career year.

It was a cool story at the time, but if the goal is to contend and win Stanley Cups they needed one of Bedard, Fantilli, Michkov, Smith or Carlsson more than they needed that little run.

Beniers is an ideal guy to have as your 2C, I love his all around game, compete level and hockey IQ, but there are serious offensive limitations that were even visible in college. It’s just going to be very challenging for them to win with him as the face of their build (can’t really call it rebuild, right). I’m not sure he even gets back to the level he had as a rookie, everything kind of went right for him.

I’m assuming they are making the change to let Botterill tear down what they have already built and kind of start-over, they really have no choice.

 

[fivehole32]

In the big picture, Seattle being so good in year 2 was really bad for their long-term outlook.

I don’t think either of their top 5 picks (Beniers or Wright) are going to be franchise players, and their best chance to get a franchise player was picking high in 2023, which was the year that they wildly overachieved and made the 2nd round. They had something like 12 guys score 12 or more goals that year and for a lot of those guys it was a career year.

It was a cool story at the time, but if the goal is to contend and win Stanley Cups they needed one of Bedard, Fantilli, Michkov, Smith or Carlsson more than they needed that little run.

Beniers is an ideal guy to have as your 2C, I love his all around game, compete level and hockey IQ, but there are serious offensive limitations that were even visible in college. It’s just going to be very challenging for them to win with him as the face of their build (can’t really call it rebuild, right). I’m not sure he even gets back to the level he had as a rookie, everything kind of went right for him.

I’m assuming they are making the change to let Botterill tear down what they have already built and kind of start-over, they really have no choice.

I totally agree about Beniers and Wright. I didn't get a chance to see Beniers in person, but Wright dominates at the AHL level, but doesnt seem to be able to take the next step.

 

[Herby]

I totally agree about Beniers and Wright. I didn't get a chance to see Beniers in person, but Wright dominates at the AHL level, but doesnt seem to be able to take the next step.

Wright and Beniers aren’t bad by any stretch. Each will probably settle in as good 2nd liners with maybe a season or two where they flirt with 1st line production (which Beniers did once)

But it gets back to the debate that’s happened on this forum many times, what is a reasonable expectation for a top 5 pick? And what should you have in hand before you try and take the next step?

I just think you have to be hoping for more from a #2 pick than what Seattle will likely end up getting from Beniers.

They’d be ok if they had been picking top 5 in 2023, which I’m guessing was probably the original pathway they were taking before everything went right on the ice in the 22/23 season.

I’ve always been a Botterill mark, he did a lot to build great pieces around their stars in Pittsburgh and get them back over the hump (twice). Buffalo is a cursed franchise and I don’t hold to much against him, but he has his hands full with what he inherits in Seattle.

 

[unicornpig]

TF, flordia tampa hasn't even played game 1 yet.

 

[unicornpig]

In the big picture, Seattle being so good in year 2 was really bad for their long-term outlook.

I don’t think either of their top 5 picks (Beniers or Wright) are going to be franchise players, and their best chance to get a franchise player was picking high in 2023, which was the year that they wildly overachieved and made the 2nd round. They had something like 12 guys score 12 or more goals that year and for a lot of those guys it was a career year.

It was a cool story at the time, but if the goal is to contend and win Stanley Cups they needed one of Bedard, Fantilli, Michkov, Smith or Carlsson more than they needed that little run.

Beniers is an ideal guy to have as your 2C, I love his all around game, compete level and hockey IQ, but there are serious offensive limitations that were even visible in college. It’s just going to be very challenging for them to win with him as the face of their build (can’t really call it rebuild, right). I’m not sure he even gets back to the level he had as a rookie, everything kind of went right for him.

I’m assuming they are making the change to let Botterill tear down what they have already built and kind of start-over, they really have no choice.

i'd do clarke for berniers all day.

 

[Schmooley]

For such a good goalie Ullmark has got to be the worst playoff performer in the league.
Same story with this guy every time he makes the postseason.

 

[funky]

i'd do clarke for berniers all day.

I would do Clarke for a lot of other teams young top prospects. It scares me every time he is on the ice and the stupid wrist shots he has been taken lately are not helping his cause. There is no zip in them at all and it is not a fast or deseptive release. Goalies have time to get in front of it as well as any deflection he may get. The shine is quickly wearing off.

 

[Herby]

Beniers salary is a big turn off, even with the cap going up.

I realize they are close to the same age, but it feels like Clarke has a higher ceiling, but also has a much lower floor.

Clarke and the Kings just seemed like a marriage that was going to have a tough time working out, with the style the Kings play being so much different than the style that Clarke plays.

I wouldn’t be shocked if he is moved on from, but I still really like his offensive talent and creativity.

I also don’t think the return will be as much as people may expect, he’s not ancient, but he’s also been in the organization for four years and is struggling to find a role on the team. His value is going to be a lot less than the draft capital used to pick him, that’s just the way the league works.

 

[Sol]

I would do Clarke for a lot of other teams young top prospects. It scares me every time he is on the ice and the stupid wrist shots he has been taken lately are not helping his cause. There is no zip in them at all and it is not a fast or deseptive release. Goalies have time to get in front of it as well as any deflection he may get. The shine is quickly wearing off.

I was wrong about Byfield so I’m willing to give Clarke some rope, but from a physical aspect there’s not much to be excited about. He’s a limp noodle, slow, and his shots aren’t too impressive at all.

 

[Schmooley]

Forgot how good the Panthers were. They had some guys out and were resting guys for so long it was easy to write them off. Tough team.

 

[King'sPawn]

Congrats to Tim "Superior to Byfield" Stutzle on getting his first career playoff point. Only 9 points behind Byfield now.

 

[Shellz]

Why are East playoff teams more boring than West… these are snoozers

 

[VILARGOD]

Man. Boldy is such a player. Crazy he could have been doing this for us right now

 

[Herby]

Congrats to Tim "Superior to Byfield" Stutzle on getting his first career playoff point. Only 9 points behind Byfield now.

Sharks and Ducks fans on this forum used to say the same thing about Kopitar when the rebuilding Kings sucked and Setoguchi and Bobby Ryan were contributing on playoff teams while Anze was golfing every spring.

I don’t think it’s very fair in either case, to penalize a player for being on a bad team early in his career.

 

[King'sPawn]

Sharks and Ducks fans on this forum used to say the same thing about Kopitar when the rebuilding Kings sucked and Setoguchi and Bobby Ryan were contributing on playoff teams while Anze was golfing every spring.

I don’t think it’s very fair in either case, to penalize a player for being on a bad team early in his career.

It's tongue in cheek.

Considering the number of years people bemoaned the Byfield pick, the perspective is while he's a very different player, he still wasn't nearly as bad a pick as some were making him out to be.

It's arguable he could have been handled better.

But ultimately Byfield is still a very good player on a good team.

 

[Herby]

Man. Boldy is such a player. Crazy he could have been doing this for us right now

I don’t know if he’s as good right now if he spends his age 19 season in Ontario instead of back at BC, it’s very debatable if he hits his ceiling. It might have been another one where the Kings development choices greatly limit the players upside.

But yeah, it’s frustrating to see how little the Kings ended up with from that draft, 4 of the big 5 NTDP forwards from that draft have 60+ point seasons in the NHL. Although at least Zegras has really fallen off a lot for the Ducks, it would have been uglier had he kept the pace he started out with.

 

[Herby]

I remember seeing Zucarello play in the AHL maybe 15 years ago, I remember he had come over with some hype from Europe, but he seemed small and not overly fast, seemed like maybe a AAAA player. I think he even went back overseas for a season or two when he couldn’t crack the Rangers. Then he ended up back in the NHL and has quietly had a very respectable career.

37 years old and still a quality 2nd line playmaker for a playoff team. He will end up with 700+ points and maybe even 1000 games.

Not bad for a 5’8 Norwegian dude who doesn’t skate all that well.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Speaking of the 2019 draftees that we whiffed on.. Vegas sure scored with Dorofeyev - 3rd rounder that put up 35 goals this season.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Speaking of the 2019 draftees that we whiffed on.. Vegas sure scored with Dorofeyev - 3rd rounder that put up 35 goals this season.

Stupid Blake.

 

[Herby]

Speaking of the 2019 draftees that we whiffed on.. Vegas sure scored with Dorofeyev - 3rd rounder that put up 35 goals this season.

I believe the top 3 goal-scorers from the 2019 draft for this season were

Caufield - 15th overall
Dorofeyev - 79th overall
Protas - 91st overall

Caufield got the 8x8 bag already but the other two are making $1.8m and $3.75m. Incredible value for the production.

And speaking of money, the Wild (or somebody) is going to give KK a blank check. I hope he doesn’t end up in NY, but the Russians have always seemed to like to play there when given the chance.

There are only 3-4 forwards in the entire league I’d rather have if you are starting a team.

 

[Omni Owl]

Kaprizov is so f***ing good, he's the very definition of an MVP. The Wild are completely mid without him and Eriksson Ek. Boldy is also solidifying himself as a star player.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Stupid Blake.

No Im not blaming him here on Dorofeyev.. Vegas found a gem in the 3rd round - as we did in 2020 with Laf not to the same degree tho... more pointing out how 2019 was a weird draft. We all thought it was going to be a game changer, and it sucked.

 

[ru4reals]

Man. Boldy is such a player. Crazy he could have been doing this for us right now

Was just thinking imagine if we selected him. *sigh* Then I thought again and realize oh yeah he'd be where Turcs is right about now, playing his first full season on the Kings 4th line. lol.

 

[Statto]

Kaprizov is so f***ing good, he's the very definition of an MVP. The Wild are completely mid without him and Eriksson Ek. Boldy is also solidifying himself as a star player.

I saw the wild vs Oilers a couple of years ago. Watched Kaprizov dominate whilst McDavid and Draisaitl phoned it in, only bothering on the pp (even then only until they got a couple of points), I had been really excited about seeing McDavid live but the lack of intensity really told me something…