Around the League 2024-25 season

[ru4reals]

They started with the best

And then as stated before this was the start of that horrendous slump to end the season. 1 goal in 27 games and then potted one in the last game of last season. No more highlight reel goals for you Quinton. LOL.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Andrew Freidman in his office watching local teams reading his playbook (re: Ducks deferred salary contract to Vatrano)

View attachment 956700

AEG immediately vetoing Rob Blake's power to do so so that they don't have to pay PLD 5 million a year in 2070

 

[kingsfan28]

Andrew Freidman in his office watching local teams reading his playbook (re: Ducks deferred salary contract to Vatrano)

View attachment 956700

AEG immediately vetoing Rob Blake's power to do so so that they don't have to pay PLD 5 million a year in 2070

I thought that stuff only happened in MLB and the NFL. Shit, that sure sound like cap circumvention. Uncle Lou is probably screaming " that was my idea!"

 

[Herby]

I'm told the current on ice product is the worst it's ever been.

I know many here disagree, but I think the NHL is at the best it's been since I've been a fan. Looking back at the dead-puck era, it really was just an awful product on the ice and a terrible CBA off it.

Shutouts in the playoffs

1997 - 16
1998 - 13
1999 - 14
2000 - 15
2001 - 17
2002 - 25
2003 - 19 (including 4 out of 7 in the finals)
2004 - 24

Compared to the modern era

2021 - 12
2022 - 11
2023 - 5
2024 - 5

Remember how it used to be, if playoff games got to 2-0 they were basically over.

 

[bland]

I know many here disagree, but I think the NHL is at the best it's been since I've been a fan. Looking back at the dead-puck era, it really was just an awful product on the ice and a terrible CBA off it.

Shutouts in the playoffs

1997 - 16
1998 - 13
1999 - 14
2000 - 15
2001 - 17
2002 - 25
2003 - 19 (including 4 out of 7 in the finals)
2004 - 24

Compared to the modern era

2021 - 12
2022 - 11
2023 - 5
2024 - 5

Remember how it used to be, if playoff games got to 2-0 they were basically over.

And virtually everything goal meant something. The last two playoffs were easily the worst, most boring NHL playoffs I have ever seen.

 

[johnjm22]

I know many here disagree, but I think the NHL is at the best it's been since I've been a fan. Looking back at the dead-puck era, it really was just an awful product on the ice and a terrible CBA off it.

Shutouts in the playoffs

1997 - 16
1998 - 13
1999 - 14
2000 - 15
2001 - 17
2002 - 25
2003 - 19 (including 4 out of 7 in the finals)
2004 - 24

Compared to the modern era

2021 - 12
2022 - 11
2023 - 5
2024 - 5

Remember how it used to be, if playoff games got to 2-0 they were basically over.

I agree. The product is generally better now than it was in my youth.

Some exceptions IMO:
1) There's less violence nowadays*
2) Expansion has created too many teams that feel aimless. Too many low stakes meaningless games.
3) Everything feels more corporate now. There's less personalities in the game. Less characters. Player/media interactions feel rehearsed. Playing styles don't vary as much. Some of the in-arena experience and broadcasts have been homogenized across the league.

*Less violence doesn't bother me, but if we're being honest, it was something that was unique about hockey and added entertainment value. That was back before we knew about the true dangers of head trauma.

 

[Herby]

And virtually everything goal meant something. The last two playoffs were easily the worst, most boring NHL playoffs I have ever seen.

That is how it is with soccer, and we know that soccer has never come close to achieving the popularity here that it has elsewhere. NHL teams would get leads and completely suffocate the opposition, hence why we saw so many shutouts in the dead-puck era, which helped contribute to abysmal TV ratings and gates and the league moving from ESPN to OLN. You (and others) are free to enjoy 2-0 clutch and grab hockey , but the facts are it drove away many fans who enjoyed the sport in the 80's and early 90's and also made it difficult to grow the sport with new fans. I remember taking people to games in that era, and well if you go to a game where the home team loses 2-0 and the rules are geared more towards Craig Ludwig and Doug Zmolek than Ziggy Palffy and Paul Kariya, well the odds of gaining a new fans are significantly less, and that is exactly what happened to the NHL in the dead puck era, and that is why they (thankfully) changed the rules . At this point, if the NHL ever returned to a style like that, I think I would throw in the towel and stop watching the league closely.

 

[johnjm22]

That is how it is with soccer, and we know that soccer has never come close to achieving the popularity here that it has elsewhere. NHL teams would get leads and completely suffocate the opposition, hence why we saw so many shutouts in the dead-puck era, which helped contribute to abysmal TV ratings and gates and the league moving from ESPN to OLN. You (and others) are free to enjoy 2-0 clutch and grab hockey , but the facts are it drove away many fans who enjoyed the sport in the 80's and early 90's and also made it difficult to grow the sport with new fans. I remember taking people to games in that era, and well if you go to a game where the home team loses 2-0 and the rules are geared more towards Craig Ludwig and Doug Zmolek than Ziggy Palffy and Paul Kariya, well the odds of gaining a new fans are significantly less, and that is exactly what happened to the NHL in the dead puck era, and that is why they (thankfully) changed the rules . At this point, if the NHL ever returned to a style like that, I think I would throw in the towel and stop watching the league closely.

I understand what Bland is saying. A 5-4 game isn't necessarily more exciting than a 2-1 game.

IMO, you make the on ice product better by increasing two things:

1) Game flow. (Minimal play stoppages)
2) Scoring chances (Not the same as goals).

Soccer is low scoring, but it has few play stoppages. The game flows and it creates constant tension. Every goal is a huge deal.

The NHL needs to figure out how to keep play going and minimize whistles. It will automatically lead to more scoring chances.

 

[kingsfan28]

Not to be overlooked, Kevin Gravel has been recalled and will play in Nashville's next game. Didn't think he was still in the league and continues split his time between the AHL/NHL. The dude carved out a pretty long hockey career.

 

[bland]

That is how it is with soccer, and we know that soccer has never come close to achieving the popularity here that it has elsewhere. NHL teams would get leads and completely suffocate the opposition, hence why we saw so many shutouts in the dead-puck era, which helped contribute to abysmal TV ratings and gates and the league moving from ESPN to OLN. You (and others) are free to enjoy 2-0 clutch and grab hockey , but the facts are it drove away many fans who enjoyed the sport in the 80's and early 90's and also made it difficult to grow the sport with new fans. I remember taking people to games in that era, and well if you go to a game where the home team loses 2-0 and the rules are geared more towards Craig Ludwig and Doug Zmolek than Ziggy Palffy and Paul Kariya, well the odds of gaining a new fans are significantly less, and that is exactly what happened to the NHL in the dead puck era, and that is why they (thankfully) changed the rules . At this point, if the NHL ever returned to a style like that, I think I would throw in the towel and stop watching the league closely.

I will GLADLY watch Nottingham Forest take on West Ham well before I watch ANY out of market NHL game nowadays.

Competitiveness is what set hockey apart from all other sports, and modern fans think that competition is based on one teams best players outscoring the other teams best players, just like the video game fans they are catering to at the moment.

I couldn't care less how many new fans judge the sport by its highlights. If you have played it, you know why hockey is different - and why it will never appeal to a fanbase as large as other sports now matter how many times it sells it soul for approval of people who will never care anyway.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Watched Devils Kraken and that was a fun one. Markstrom made like 3 save of the month type saves, sheesh. East coast teams really struggling with the west coast lately.

Reminded me how much I've always liked Jaden Schwartz, such a gamer. And we don't play the Devils much but I'm always annoyed by Siegenthaler, a lot of hit and run stuff. At the end of the game he shoved Schwartz for next to nothing and Schwartz launched his stick into the 10th row before Beniers came in and decked him. Love to see it.

 

[Herby]

I understand what Bland is saying. A 5-4 game isn't necessarily more exciting than a 2-1 game.

Not always, but in most cases it is. And I'm not saying every game should hit a total of 9 goals. But it was ridiculous how bad the clutching and grabbing was ruining the sport before the lockout, people were tuning out and staying home because the product sucked so bad, resulting in drastic rule changes post-lockout.

In 89 games in 2003 there were 29 games with 3 or less goals
In 89 games in 2004 there were 32 games with 3 or less goals

Compare that to pre dead-puck and current.

In 86 games in 1992 there were 13 games with 3 or less goals
In 94 games in 1993 there were 8 games with 3 or less goals

In 87 games in 2023 there were 9 games with 3 or less goals
In 88 games in 2024 there were 17 games with 3 or less goals

 

[Sol]

Perry got his shit pushed in today

 

[chris kontos]

Quick goes for win 400 tonite aginst dallas. Most wins ever by an american born goalie.

 

[AbsentMojo]

 

[Sol]

Quicks biggest weakness on display. For no reason he pushes off his skates and goes spread eagle to make a save when he was already in position to save it by simply going into the butterfly. Really don’t miss his style of goaltending. As fun as it is to watch at times, just doesn’t make sense.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Koala report: 5 game win streak..heard Detroit has a Eucalyptus tree in the arboretum they let him forage.. hoping for postseason for Det.. go Koala!

 

[AbsentMojo]

Kirill Marchenko.. a name you havent heard much.. dude is putting up points this season 43 points in 40 games. A Kempe-like late emergence it seems.

 

[BigKing]

Playoff hockey is the best (or was) because the violence ramped up to another level while the stakes ramped up as well. 5-4 or 1-0: I don't care as long as there are scoring chances and there is hitting and hatred.

We've basically lost the hatred in the regular season which is why it is such a big deal when we get a taste of what it used to be like. The Caps visiting NY after the Wilson/Panarin thing comes to mind. Am I or a lot of others tuning in to that game if it wasn't a powder keg to begin with? Absolutely not.

The combo of extreme skill and extreme violence set hockey apart from other sports: even football. Playing it and being a huge fan also set you apart, at least in many parts of the US, as it is much more of a foreign experience here than basketball, baseball etc.

I didn't miss a Sunday of NFL this season, including watching on my phone to my Wife's dismay while on a lounger on the sand in Cabo. Fantasy Football helps, sure, but football being less violent than "the old days" doesn't mean that it still doesn't deliver in that regard as every play involves five huge dudes on each side crashing into one another.

Subbing in Nick Shore for Rob Ray is not a win and I don't care if the former is a better hockey player: this is still the entertainment business. The NHL used to scratch every itch from the cerebral to the animalistic but that is mostly gone. We can talk about how much more skill there is now, but it doesn't impress me as much when there is far less worry about having your head taken off going across the middle or when any player in the league (except for anyone on the Kings) can easily stand in front of the net without losing a kidney.

@Herby I feel like the Zmolek mentioned was a direct shot at me. How dare you. You did list those playoff stats but didn't touch on the era when the Kings finally made the playoffs and then had the great three year run. While some of it has to do with the best era in Kings history, I do feel like there was a nice sweet spot there in the late 2000's through 2016 or so where you didn't have as many Rob Ray types--but you had more of them than now--but the game was still nastier than today and you didn't get so much clutch and grab. I mean, I think Brown got a diving minor when Mike Smith took the axe to the back of his leg. That's a match and a suspension today.

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Koala report: 5 game win streak..heard Detroit has a Eucalyptus tree in the arboretum they let him forage.. hoping for postseason for Det.. go Koala!

Oh yah, forgot that we should be surprised that 100-point/season coach knows how to win games.

 

[AbsentMojo]

Oh yah, forgot that we should be surprised that 100-point/season coach knows how to win games.

Looking fwd to watching the 1-3-1 when down a couple in the playoffs.. thats what im saving my microwave popcorn for

 

[Axl Rhoadz]

Looking fwd to watching the 1-3-1 when down a couple in the playoffs.. thats what im saving my microwave popcorn for

Will DET have to play EDM?

 

[AbsentMojo]

This isnt news but you know who is giving Bluc a run for their money is Trotz.. Stamkos 8mil x 4 years, Marchaseault 4 x 5.5m and to top it all off Skjei 7 x 7m. None of those are going to age well. I guess he looks at VGK - and they did it without picks.. but they did it by getting a haul of younger talented guys at the expansion draft to get started. All his guys are on at or near decline Josi, Forsberg, ROR, and the 3 free agents... make it make sense pls.

 

[King'sPawn]

Trotz was a good coach, but I agree his GM decisions so far haven't taken Nashville anywhere.

 

[johnjm22]

When you're in the arena, the crowd gets loudest during a fight. Even the suggestion of one; players jawing back and forth, shoving, cheap shots ect. gets the crowd really excited.

Now that stuff is mostly gone and the live experience has suffered because of it.

That said, I don't understand the people who want to bring that stuff back. You want to see a 24 year old get elbowed in the head and suffer quality of life issues for your entertainment? Gross.