Around the League - Pre-Season 2024-2025

[LiseL]

The problem with Ottawa is their coach.

He doesn't trust his players to transport the puck up the ice effrctively. So they rely heavily on the stretch pass for zone exits and dump ins for entries. It's almost like he wants to eliminate the neutral zone.

If the Leafs play "keep away" the Senators are playing "hot potato".

I had high hopes for Ottawa until they hired Green. The only reason he got the job is because the NHL thinks retired players make good coaches. If you played the game you’re apparently smart enough to be gifted a role behind the bemch.

The whole league is a closed inbred society.

Ottawa regurgitating Green as one of the best thirty two coaches in the world tells us that. He has no record of success at the NHL level. There's hundreds of professional leagues with thousands of coaches all over the world.

For a team looking to turn it around they should have tried anything but proven badness.

As a Sens fan, I was discouraged when I read your post about Green because that sounds a lot like DJ Smith coaching which we endured for 5 years: forwards cheating for offence, dump the puck in but rarely win the puck battles, stretch passes that almost always resulted in turnovers, one and done shots on net, etc. Then when the forwards did try to help out in the D zone, it was clear they didn't know what to do as it was mostly puck watching. At some point, I had to start laughing at their play otherwise I'd cry. I'd rather they play some form of the trap in the neutral zone and wait for their opportunities than go back to that style of play.

When Jacques Martin replaced DJ last year, he started teaching them how to play away from the puck, play as a 5 man unit, play more north/south. There were a lot of bad habits to break but we did start seeing some improvement. Now, during pre-season, I'm getting deja vue. Why would Staois hire a coach with the same structure as DJ and not someone like Jacques Martin?

Here's hoping that this is just them getting used to the new system and new faces in the line-up, otherwise, it's going to be a very long season (again).
.

 

[Menzinger]

Swayman sounds like he was a little naive.
All for one, one for all ...
He probably thought it was a negotiation.

Team held the hammer, and he was the nail.

Arbitration always is a double edged sword. The team did what they had to do keep that number low. And it's came back and burned them in the next deal.

 

[PROUD PAPA]

Sammy with some nice early saves for the Knights.
Likeable guy, hope he does well.

 

[All Mod Cons]

Anyone think that one of Ott, Buff, Mont, or Det makes in the Atlantic this year? I'm not sure if i see it, unless either Tampa or Bos takes a big step back.

No

 

[rumman]

I hope he hoses the Bruins for every cent possible. If Boston goes into the season with Korpisalo and some other useless plug in net, their D will have to work overtime.

Boston will be fine, they don’t allow players to hold them hostage, but I doubt Swayman remains a Bruin for very long if/when he signs……….

 

[rumman]

Swayman sounds like he was a little naive.
All for one, one for all ...
He probably thought it was a negotiation.

Team held the hammer, and he was the nail.

The negotiations shit that works in other markets doesn’t work in Boston, team always comes first in Beantown, always has, always will……..

 

[SprDaVE]

Anyone think that one of Ott, Buff, Mont, or Det makes in the Atlantic this year? I'm not sure if i see it, unless either Tampa or Bos takes a big step back.

Ottawa has the best chance out of all of them. Good depth and goaltending upgraded. Detroit could if they outscore their bad defense/goaltending. Same for Buffalo. No chance on Montreal.

 

[rumman]

Vegas gets to play by different rules.

League screwed up, they set a precedence with this decision………..

 

[The Management]

Arbitration always is a double edged sword. The team did what they had to do keep that number low. And it's came back and burned them in the next deal.

Yep. I regularly attend arbitration, albeit on a much, much smaller scale, and it can be a rough go for the clients and the parties. It's still a form of litigation in the end, and while the lawyers / advocates and the arbitrator can usually separate the emotion from the issues, it's natural for a layperson in the room (much less one who is the subject of the dispute) to take things personally, feel angry, disparaged, and disrespected. Arbitration seems like a really poor venue to settle a dispute about dollars and cents.

 

[TMLBlueandWhite]

As a Sens fan, I was discouraged when I read your post about Green because that sounds a lot like DJ Smith coaching which we endured for 5 years: forwards cheating for offence, dump the puck in but rarely win the puck battles, stretch passes that almost always resulted in turnovers, one and done shots on net, etc. Then when the forwards did try to help out in the D zone, it was clear they didn't know what to do as it was mostly puck watching. At some point, I had to start laughing at their play otherwise I'd cry. I'd rather they play some form of the trap in the neutral zone and wait for their opportunities than go back to that style of play.

When Jacques Martin replaced DJ last year, he started teaching them how to play away from the puck, play as a 5 man unit, play more north/south. There were a lot of bad habits to break but we did start seeing some improvement. Now, during pre-season, I'm getting deja vue. Why would Staois hire a coach with the same structure as DJ and not someone like Jacques Martin?

Here's hoping that this is just them getting used to the new system and new faces in the line-up, otherwise, it's going to be a very long season (again).
.

The fact I think more highly of Sheldon Keefe as a coach than Travis Green should tell you all you need to know.

And my opinion of Keefe as a head coach is about whale crap on bottom of the ocean level.

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

If you need cheering up, you can read the bruins threads about Swayman

 

[ULF_55]

Yep. I regularly attend arbitration, albeit on a much, much smaller scale, and it can be a rough go for the clients and the parties. It's still a form of litigation in the end, and while the lawyers / advocates and the arbitrator can usually separate the emotion from the issues, it's natural for a layperson in the room (much less one who is the subject of the dispute) to take things personally, feel angry, disparaged, and disrespected. Arbitration seems like a really poor venue to settle a dispute about dollars and cents.

Especially when you know, down the road in the NHL, the other party will have the hammer.

 

[Fogelhund]

Ottawa has the best chance out of all of them. Good depth and goaltending upgraded. Detroit could if they outscore their bad defense/goaltending. Same for Buffalo. No chance on Montreal.

Buffalo really should have one of the better D cores as they mature. Dahlin, Power, Samuelsson and Byram should all be very good at some point. The team actually gave up less goals than us last year. Their problem is a lack of scoring. But, Buffalo seems to have a knack for just failing.

Detroit on the other hand, just is bad defensively, from the forwards to the D and goalies. They seem to have the pieces and prospects, but I think the team is a couple of years from putting it together.

Ottawa IMO just comes down to Ullmark. If he can play well in front of that team, they certainly have a shot at it.

Montreal has a great opportunity to screw up another draft pick.

 

[Fogelhund]

""

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

This should be a good game. Two young teams with the goal of making the postseason.

 

[Phion Keneuf]

Hot take: Buffalo finishes higher than NJ this season.

Really like the look of the Sabres this year. Lots of skilled big bodies up front, top 4 D look solid, and I think 6K is a top 15ish goalie.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Really dumb that we still have one more preseason game to go when the NHL regular season officially starts today.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842252219195748681

 

[VanW27]

Hot take: Buffalo finishes higher than NJ this season.

Really like the look of the Sabres this year. Lots of skilled big bodies up front, top 4 D look solid, and I think 6K is a top 15ish goalie.

I think NJD comfortably breaks 100pts this year. It's a good young team, i think last year was just one of those "everything went wrong" and it snow balled out of control for them.

 

[BertCorbeau]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842252219195748681

He had an injury in training camp, so it's not surprising. They probably want to get him conditioned with reps in the AHL and make him earn that starting gig .. Not to mention they still have Vanecek and Blackwood.

 

[Seath The Scaleless]

Hot take: Buffalo finishes higher than NJ this season.

Really like the look of the Sabres this year. Lots of skilled big bodies up front, top 4 D look solid, and I think 6K is a top 15ish goalie.

I think they will struggle to score goals again. D is good and G can be solid, but they needed some help up front this past summer

 

[Fogelhund]

Markstrom has been excellent for the Devils today. If he keeps up this play, they'll have a very good year. 4-1 win.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842290510616314078

Christ. Hopefully Jack gets the help he needs.

 

[ULF_55]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842290510616314078

Christ. Hopefully Jack gets the help he needs.

To have to do this in public ...

Best wishes for better health to him.

 

[Peasy]

If you need cheering up, you can read the bruins threads about Swayman

The mainboard thread is hilarious. Say anything positive about Swayman and its a buncha Bruin fans telling you why hes trash and deserves pennies.