Around the League 2024-25 season

[Omni Owl]

With 4 straight losses, Nashville is now dead last in the entire NHL

Goal Differential: -28 (31st)
Point Percentage: .375 (32nd)
Total Points: 20 (Tied w/ Chicago for league worst)

The team who makes the biggest spash in free agency never lives up to the hype, but I don't think anyone was expecting it to be this bad.

Preds haven't drafted a 20 goal scorer since 2014 (Fiala and Arvidsson).

I'm still trying to wrap my head around why they've been so bad, especially after having such a solid performance last year. Thought for sure Stamkos and March would make them dangerous but I was big wrong. Really glad Blucgevin didn't pursue Stamkos, that would've been such a disaster.

 

[bouncesonly]

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Any Kings fans still want to trade places with them?

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

Any Kings fans still want to trade places with them?

Short memory?

 

[johnjm22]

Looks like salary cap is gonna be 92.4M next year.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Short memory?
View attachment 943931

I guess that loss automatically makes the Ducks a better team.

 

[Brownie to Pancakes]

Same way their loss to OTT automatically makes the kings better

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Being the third worst team in the league with no playoff appearances in the past 7 seasons is an envious position. If only the Kings were as bad as the Ducks or Sabres, two teams that are definitely guaranteed to be good at some point over the next decade.

 

[BaileyFan]

Any Kings fans still want to trade places with them?

This is only Verbeek’s 3rd season in charge. Granted he does seem to be muddying up their rebuild with a bunch of overpaid veteran slugs, Trouba being the latest, but I don’t know why “bad team that is trying to be bad is bad” is supposed to be noteworthy.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

This is only Verbeek’s 3rd season in charge. Granted he does seem to be muddying up their rebuild with a bunch of overpaid veteran slugs, Trouba being the latest, but I don’t know why “bad team that is trying to be bad is bad” is supposed to be noteworthy.

Their youth has been hyped up for years and we have yet to see them take steps in improving.

This happened when they had a blueline that consisted of the likes of Fowler, Lindholm, Theodore, Montour, and it’s carried over today.

Zegras and McTavish have regressed, they already have moved on from their first round picks from 2020, Cutter Gauthier was supposed to be top six talent and is about as productive as another disappointment that we’re witnessing this season with Byfield.

I fail to see what makes the Ducks be considered a team that’s in a better position than the Kings. Unless you want to believe in their hype, like many did with the Kings after their supposed rebuild.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Being the third worst team in the league with no playoff appearances in the past 7 seasons is an envious position. If only the Kings were as bad as the Ducks or Sabres, two teams that are definitely guaranteed to be good at some point over the next decade.

The ducks have won more and lost fewer playoff games than the Kings in the last decade AND at least have a vision they're building towards that isn't 'we were right there'

I don't necessarily want to trade positions with them but it is nice to be on your way up rather than predictably flatlining for half a decade and it's more than a little bit shocking to see you simping for that approach in contrast.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

The ducks have won more and lost fewer playoff games than the Kings in the last decade AND at least have a vision they're building towards that isn't 'we were right there'

I don't necessarily want to trade positions with them but it is nice to be on your way up rather than predictably flatlining for half a decade and it's more than a little bit shocking to see you simping for that approach in contrast.

The difference is, the Kings got better and younger, and made a few foolish decisions along the way. I don’t agree with everything they’re doing, but I also wouldn’t want to be the Ducks or Sabres right about now.

It’s different with a team like the Sharks who have Celebrini and Smith and Eklund.

They also made a shortsighted mistake in 2018 by trading away their top pick in 2017 in Josh Norris and the pick that turned into Tim Stutzle for a washed up Erik Karlsson.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

The difference is, the Kings got better and younger, and made a few foolish decisions along the way. I don’t agree with everything they’re doing, but I also wouldn’t want to be the Ducks or Sabres right about now.

It’s different with a team like the Sharks who have Celebrini and Smith and Eklund.

They also made a shortsighted mistake in 2018 by trading away their top pick in 2017 in Josh Norris and the pick that turned into Tim Stutzle for a washed up Erik Karlsson.

I kind of see them as all in different categories

DEFINITELY wouldn't want to trade places with Buffalo because that's meddling/inept ownership on the level of the 2010s oilers

Sharks are doing what we wanted the Kings to do

Ducks at least have a vision they're trying to execute on...and I think the Kings were on that page but flat out abandoned it in favor of blackholing. I guess I just personally don't see 'just get in and anything can happen' as 'better' fundamentally.

But I agree with the premise that it's pretty clear that theres more to building than sucking forever...but I also think that sometimes people forget that you often get worse before it gets better, ie ducks and sharks.