GDT: Around The League 24/25. Captains Skates, Training Camp, Preseason Begins.

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

With September starting so too does the sound of skates cutting into the ice at various venues across the league.

No more Arizona to kick around, instead the Flames are looking to pull the massive tank job this year and will probably be the club taking on shit contracts for draft picks. UHC should be competitive and should be an interesting watch this season. Curious to see what the name finally is.

San Jose and Anaheim will be useless again this season but possibly a bit more competitive this year. LA and Vegas will both probably take a step back after losing some personnel this off season. Vancouver will not have the PDO they had last season and they have knee issues with both goalies.

Detroit, Buffalo and Ottawa are under serious pressure to make the playoffs this year. Dallas will be a top team again, loaded with young talent. Colorado will be interesting to watch as the Nichushkin saga carries on. Winnipeg might get an airport this year.

Montreal should improve and Boston should fall off a bit but that’s what we said last year. Tampa is another that should falter and curious to see what happens in Nashville after their spending spree this off season.

And of course Toronto. The Marner speculation will dominate the headlines - unfortunately in all of Canada thanks to the Toronto Sports Network and SportsNot - all season because Treliving is an idiot and is going back to the well yet again with the Core Fore, somehow changing the letter on a players jersey is going to be the catalyst for change there. The parade is planned as it is every year in September, all the trophies will be awarded to Matthews by mid October and by January the air will flatulate out of the balloon.

So begins a new season and thus, a new ATL or OOT thread.

@Bryanbryoil if you wouldn’t mind pinning this baby up and locking up last years that would be cool.

Click to read more...

 

[Tobias Kahun]

I feel like the season just ended, where did the summer go

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

…..and here we go. Draisaitl signs with the Oilers - how does if affect the Leafs?

From Class A Dick Steve Simmons

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

I know i am in the minority but i don't think the Flames will be as bad as people have been saying all offseason.

That's probably a bad thing for their rebuild in the long run but i expect them to be in the mushy middle while winning like 35 games or so.

 

[K1984]

I know i am in the minority but i don't think the Flames will be as bad as people have been saying all offseason.

That's probably a bad thing for their rebuild in the long run but i expect them to be in the mushy middle while winning like 35 games or so.

I agree. They objectively aren’t good, but they have just the right mix of players up front that might catch lightning in a bottle shooting wise a la Nucks of last year and Kraken the year prior. Doesn’t change that their defense stinks and their goalies stink, but they might be able to score goals if things go right.

There’s also the fact that pretty much every single time anyone has expected the Flames to crater over the past 10 years they pull out a random “career years across the board” type season and over perform.

Flames pushing into a wildcard spot on the back of PDO would be an outstanding outcome. Would be 2015 all over again where they abandon the ship on a disciplined rebuild because they think they’re just that one piece away.

 

[Valhallis]

Is this Utah's year?

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I know i am in the minority but i don't think the Flames will be as bad as people have been saying all offseason.

That's probably a bad thing for their rebuild in the long run but i expect them to be in the mushy middle while winning like 35 games or so.

I think the Flames are committed to the full rebuild given the new arena enroute.

If they are having a better than expected year they can then sell high on Kadri, Andersson and possibly even Weegar. Plus they may use cap space to take on a couple crappy contracts to add to their draft capital.

Be an interesting year down south that’s for sure!

 

[McShogun99]

I think the Flames are committed to the full rebuild given the new arena enroute.

If they are having a better than expected year they can then sell high on Kadri, Andersson and possibly even Weegar. Plus they may use cap space to take on a couple crappy contracts to add to their draft capital.

Be an interesting year down south that’s for sure!

They should just bite the bullet with Huberdeau and trade him with massive retention. Huberdeau at under 7 million should return a decent haul.

 

[K1984]

They should just bite the bullet with Huberdeau and trade him with massive retention. Huberdeau at under 7 million should return a decent haul.

I don't think that returns anything, even if he's retained down to ~$5-6M.

He's an incredibly soft one dimensional player that apparently has issues generating offence on his own. He's been an RNH level producer for almost his whole career outside two outlier seasons, then dissolved at age 30 after cashing in. That's a lot of red flags for a guy with 7 years left on his deal, even at 50% retention. The "haul" would probably just be inherent in getting him gone.

 

[JordanGalhanth]

I agree. They objectively aren’t good, but they have just the right mix of players up front that might catch lightning in a bottle shooting wise a la Nucks of last year and Kraken the year prior. Doesn’t change that their defense stinks and their goalies stink, but they might be able to score goals if things go right.

There’s also the fact that pretty much every single time anyone has expected the Flames to crater over the past 10 years they pull out a random “career years across the board” type season and over perform.

Flames pushing into a wildcard spot on the back of PDO would be an outstanding outcome. Would be 2015 all over again where they abandon the ship on a disciplined rebuild because they think they’re just that one piece away.

My personal wish would be to see them be like the 2008-09 Oilers. Start out 4-0, get the hype building, fall out of lottery contention, and get progressively shaker until the wheels fall off after January.

 

[TopShelfGloveSide]

They should just bite the bullet with Huberdeau and trade him with massive retention. Huberdeau at under 7 million should return a decent haul.

Who the hell would pay a decent haul for huberdeau @ 7?

 

[Gordy Elbows]

I know i am in the minority but i don't think the Flames will be as bad as people have been saying all offseason.

That's probably a bad thing for their rebuild in the long run but i expect them to be in the mushy middle while winning like 35 games or so.

For the most part, I agree. There will be some nights when they look like the Jesse James gang and blow the place up…other nights, like the Keystone Kops. Should be fun viewing either way.
Rebuilding the defence and goaltending will be the hard parts for sure.

 

[joestevens29]

Is this Utah's year?

Still think they have a way to go. Lots of teams to jump to make the playoffs

Did make some solid additions though

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

 

[bellagiobob]

Who the hell would pay a decent haul for huberdeau @ 7?

No one. At 7 the Flames would still have to add decent picks and prospects to get rid of that boat anchor.

 

[rboomercat90]

With September starting so too does the sound of skates cutting into the ice at various venues across the league.

No more Arizona to kick around, instead the Flames are looking to pull the massive tank job this year and will probably be the club taking on shit contracts for draft picks. UHC should be competitive and should be an interesting watch this season. Curious to see what the name finally is.

San Jose and Anaheim will be useless again this season but possibly a bit more competitive this year. LA and Vegas will both probably take a step back after losing some personnel this off season. Vancouver will not have the PDO they had last season and they have knee issues with both goalies.

Detroit, Buffalo and Ottawa are under serious pressure to make the playoffs this year. Dallas will be a top team again, loaded with young talent. Colorado will be interesting to watch as the Nichushkin saga carries on. Winnipeg might get an airport this year.

Montreal should improve and Boston should fall off a bit but that’s what we said last year. Tampa is another that should falter and curious to see what happens in Nashville after their spending spree this off season.

And of course Toronto. The Marner speculation will dominate the headlines - unfortunately in all of Canada thanks to the Toronto Sports Network and SportsNot - all season because Treliving is an idiot and is going back to the well yet again with the Core Fore, somehow changing the letter on a players jersey is going to be the catalyst for change there. The parade is planned as it is every year in September, all the trophies will be awarded to Matthews by mid October and by January the air will flatulate out of the balloon.

So begins a new season and thus, a new ATL or OOT thread.

@Bryanbryoil if you wouldn’t mind pinning this baby up and locking up last years that would be cool.

What a load of crap. Winnipeg isn’t getting an airport this year.

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

Logos and Team names are coming. Their first season was great, I hope they can keep up the momentum.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I feel like the season just ended, where did the summer go

For sure. Its why I was lambasting playoffs taking up almost all of June. But also why I was determined to enjoy that month and summer and be outside as much as possible. Easy enough to to when retired. Feel sorry for everybody working full time and for instance during days and missing a lot of that sunlight. Was a glorious summer for the most part. Not so freaking much if you live in Calgary lolol. No water in the pipes most of summer and baseball sized hail knocking. What a dismal place.

 

[McShogun99]

I've always thought that every team plays 82 games, 41 home/41 away. I guess somehow the NHL just favored the Oilers and gave them the easiest schedule.....

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I've always thought that every team plays 82 games, 41 home/41 away. I guess somehow the NHL just favored the Oilers and gave them the easiest schedule.....

It is an uneven unbalanced schedule teams play. We play a lot of weak teams in the Pacific this year that other teams outside the division play a lot less.

 

[McShogun99]

It is an uneven unbalanced schedule teams play. We play a lot of weak teams in the Pacific this year that other teams outside the division play a lot less.

I know that but who knows how bad/good teams will be until the season starts. There's always a few teams that surprise and disappoint.

 

[5 Mins 4 Ftg]

I know that but who knows how bad/good teams will be until the season starts. There's always a few teams that surprise and disappoint.

Just based on last seasons results.

 

[Drivesaitl]

It is an uneven unbalanced schedule teams play. We play a lot of weak teams in the Pacific this year that other teams outside the division play a lot less.

Yes. but it isn't an overt balance of games against divisional clubs as it was in the past, its also just a situation in flux as divisions get stronger or weaker in time.

Another look at it that has often been stated is that its HARDER to be a pacific division team due to all the travel, and way more travel than other divisions face. Could be some argument made that just being in Pacific division and location is a disadvantage, and is in the standings as well.

 

[Stoneman89]

Logos and Team names are coming. Their first season was great, I hope they can keep up the momentum.

The "Boston Bitches"
The New York Nannys
The Philadelphia Phems
The Toronto Chokes (the other pro hockey team there should have that name, but the gals can carry on the tradition)

 

[Jimmi McJenkins]

The "Boston Bitches"
The New York Nannys
The Philadelphia Phems
The Toronto Chokes (the other pro hockey team there should have that name, but the gals can carry on the tradition)

I like the Chokes lol



Here's the date. And yes, it was successful last year. If you're a dick head, you can just leave it alone (not you Stoneman, they know who they are)