Around the League 32: Now with NBA discussion

[WreckingCrew]

I hate to say it, but the Panthers this season remind me a lot of the 05/06 Canes where they acquired a bunch of players from other teams over a couple year period, some that nobody wanted and pretty much every player had an good-great year.

Reinhardt: On pace for career year
Bennett: On pace for career year
Huberdeau: On pace for a career year
Marchment: On pace for a career year
Verhaeghe: On pace for a career year.
Duclair: On pace for a career year.
Ekblad: On pace for a career year.
Barkov: on pace for 2 points below his career year (adjusted to 82 games)
Weegar: on pace for career year
Forsling: Already a career year in 37 games
Montour: on pace for a career year
Luostarinen: Already a career year in 42 games
Lundell: A stud rookie who is killing it in his first season.

That's just bonkers

Vegas their first year had a similar trend, so many players/castoffs just having career years at the same time.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

I hate to say it, but the Panthers this season remind me a lot of the 05/06 Canes where they acquired a bunch of players from other teams over a couple year period, some that nobody wanted and pretty much every player had an good-great year.

Reinhardt: On pace for career year
Bennett: On pace for career year
Huberdeau: On pace for a career year
Marchment: On pace for a career year
Verhaeghe: On pace for a career year.
Duclair: On pace for a career year.
Ekblad: On pace for a career year.
Barkov: on pace for 2 points below his career year (adjusted to 82 games)
Weegar: on pace for career year
Forsling: Already a career year in 37 games
Montour: on pace for a career year
Luostarinen: Already a career year in 42 games
Lundell: A stud rookie who is killing it in his first season.

That's just bonkers

I agree - every player up and down the roster is playing unreal. For our own Cup chances, let’s hope they resemble the 06-07 Canes next year as well.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Vegas their first year had a similar trend, so many players/castoffs just having career years at the same time.

Yep, that's why it reminds me a bit of Carolina in 05/06.

Staal: Career year
Williams: Career year
Stillman: Career year (adjusted for game splayed) - a guy that signed in Carolina because, as he said, nobody else wanted me.
Brindy: Not a career year but a 31G, 76P season with outstanding 2 way play.
Cole: Career year (adjusted for games played) until the injury
Whitney: Not career year, but a very good 55P (in. 63G) while playing a lot of 3rd line.
Cullen: Career year at the time
Kaberle: Career year by far
Hedican: 2 points below is career year
A. Ward: Career year
K. Adams: Career high in points (not PPG though), but from the 4th line
Commodore: Career year at that point in time (exceeded it the following season).
C. Adams: Career year

Then they added Weight and Recchi down the stretch.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

Yep, that's why it reminds me a bit of Carolina in 05/06.

Staal: Career year
Williams: Career year
Stillman: Career year (adjusted for game splayed) - a guy that signed in Carolina because, as he said, nobody else wanted me.
Brindy: Not a career year but a 31G, 76P season with outstanding 2 way play.
Cole: Career year (adjusted for games played) until the injury
Whitney: Not career year, but a very good 55P (in. 63G) while playing a lot of 3rd line.
Cullen: Career year at the time
Kaberle: Career year by far
Hedican: 2 points below is career year
A. Ward: Career year
K. Adams: Career high in points (not PPG though), but from the 4th line
Commodore: Career year at that point in time (exceeded it the following season).
C. Adams: Career year

Then they added Weight and Recchi down the stretch.

To be fair, a disproportionate amount of the league had career years in 05-06. But we certainly seemed to have more of them that year. In some ways, maybe what Florida is doing is even more impressive since they have a list that rivals this one but the league conditions aren't necessarily inflating stats for everyone across the board.

 

[A Star is Burns]

I don’t watch All-Star anyways and I guess my bias is getting to me. These 2 new outdoor games in Vegas sound extra dumb.

putting players on platforms on the water in front of the bellagio to shoot at targets also in the water? If they miss the puck sinks in the water. Ooooooo

On the street players shoot at oversized cards to get the closest to 21? Hit me, like knock me out because I don’t want to be conscious to see this crap.

They're trying something a little bit different in a unique location. I applaud them for that. It's better than trotting out the same events over and over. I don't know for sure if I'll watch but not everything needs to be for everyone.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

It's got to be frustrating for Toronto. Boston declines, as expected. However, Florida seemingly comes out of nowhere to takes its place in the Atlantic Division pecking order. The Leafs will be going into their 6th playoff as underdogs to get out of the 1st round again, and it has little to do with a choker label.

Timing is an important of winning at the highest level in the NHL. Toronto's has not been great.

If Tampa wins the division and it's Toronto/Florida in the first round that would be great. Something would have to give they can't both lose in the first round...

 

[A Star is Burns]

If Tampa wins the division and it's Toronto/Florida in the first round that would be great. Something would have to give they can't both lose in the first round...

As I recall, the Panthers had that type of matchup when they played the Isles in 2016. Neither had won a series since the 90s.

 

[VAcaniac]

I don’t watch All-Star anyways and I guess my bias is getting to me. These 2 new outdoor games in Vegas sound extra dumb.

putting players on platforms on the water in front of the bellagio to shoot at targets also in the water? If they miss the puck sinks in the water. Ooooooo

On the street players shoot at oversized cards to get the closest to 21? Hit me, like knock me out because I don’t want to be conscious to see this crap.

The pregame show in Vegas is so cringey. Couldn't tell if I was at a pep band concert or a hockey game...

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

To be fair, a disproportionate amount of the league had career years in 05-06. But we certainly seemed to have more of them that year. In some ways, maybe what Florida is doing is even more impressive since they have a list that rivals this one but the league conditions aren't necessarily inflating stats for everyone across the board.

Across the board, maybe, but I'm not sure that's completely true when looking at some numbers:

1) There are 8 teams on pace for 110 points or greater right now at the half way point. Before Covid hit, there was 1 team that ended the season with > 110 points. 2 years before Covid hit, there were 4. 3 years before Covid hit, there were 2.

2) half way through the season, there are 42 players on pace for 80+ points (and that excludes guys like Kucherov and Malkin who missed time with injury). Some may fall off, but the season before Covid, there were 28 players with 80+ points on the season. There are also 12 players on pace for 100+ points, the season before Covid there were 6.

3) half way through the season there are 19 players on pace for 40+ goals. The season before Covid, there were 13 40+ goal scorers. There are 5 players on pace for 50+ goals this season (and have a good chance of achieving it), the season before Covid there were 2.

4) There are 9 teams scoring at a rate of 3.3G / GP this season. The year before Covid hit, there were 6.

While the "new rules" helped things in 05/06, the lack of parity and maybe expansion has led to a LOT of players and teams having career years right now.

 

[tarheelhockey]

The pregame show in Vegas is so cringey. Couldn't tell if I was at a pep band concert or a hockey game...

I love it. They’re not even pretending that pro hockey is some dignified cultural event, they just shamelessly go right for sensory overload.

Don’t know if I could do that 41 times a year, but as a one-off it’s just a wild experience.

 

[Joe McGrath]

I love it. They’re not even pretending that pro hockey is some dignified cultural event, they just shamelessly go right for sensory overload.

Don’t know if I could do that 41 times a year, but as a one-off it’s just a wild experience.

Serious game, what are you talking about! This is hockey! - - - Some Vegas marketing guy

 

[bleedgreen]

Ronnie was my childhood hockey hero but the fact that he hired Jason Botulism as his assistant after he was a historically terrible and incompetent GM at the level of guys like EJ, Millbury and Chia suggests he has incredibly poor judgement

I’ll never argue that Botterill wasnt a crap gm, but he was considered a top end cap management guy as an asst prior to being hired by Buff and likely is still that and being used in that role. That’s why he was rumored to be a top gm candidate a year or two prior to being hired in the first place by the Sabres.

 

[sabremike]

I’ll never argue that Botterill wasnt a crap gm, but he was considered a top end cap management guy as an asst prior to being hired by Buff and likely is still that and being used in that role. That’s why he was rumored to be a top gm candidate a year or two prior to being hired in the first place by the Sabres.

Of course the irony is that as GM his cap management was just a horrifically bad as everything else he did.

 

[surfzone365]

I’ll never argue that Botterill wasnt a crap gm, but he was considered a top end cap management guy as an asst prior to being hired by Buff and likely is still that and being used in that role. That’s why he was rumored to be a top gm candidate a year or two prior to being hired in the first place by the Sabres.

This is “cap” management right here. Ensuring the guy in the middle - and eventually the guy on the right - are in Canes caps

 

[tarheelhockey]

This is “cap” management right here. Ensuring the guy in the middle - and eventually the guy on the right - are in Canes caps
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Just give us time to work on a Rasmus deal.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Chase Priskie playing his 4th game for the Panthers tonight.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Chase Priskie playing his 4th game for the Panthers tonight.

Forsling got a goal!!! ...for the Rags...

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Florida is like the Harlem Globe Trotters right now. Impressive offense to watch.

 

[surfzone365]

Duclair with an absolute lazer to tie it up for the Cats… 1-1 at the Garden

Caps and Pens going at each other tonight. Always a dandy of a match.

 

[Canes]

The thing about the playoffs is that over a small sample size, you can play 2 or 3 games where you play maybe only average or slight below average and just run into a team firing on all cylinders in those games, and just like that you lose a series regardless of the round.

Florida is definitely looking good though. The amount of offense they create throughout their lineup reminds me of those mid 2000s Sens teams as well.

 

[MinJaBen]

Caps got jobbed by the refs against the Pens. The weakest goalie interference you’ll ever see.

 

[HisIceness]

Please no 3 point game in Pittsburgh, thank you.

 

[MinJaBen]

Please no 3 point game in Pittsburgh, thank you.

Or in NY.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Caps got jobbed by the refs against the Pens. The weakest goalie interference you’ll ever see.

Noooo, say it ain't so...they haven't gotten preferential treatment for the past decade +

 

[HisIceness]

Please no 3 point game in Pittsburgh, thank you.

Of course neither team scores in the 3rd