Around the League Thread | Holiday Season!

[DFAC]

Todd McLellan is never the answer

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

That's pretty 'Grinchy' of the Red Wings to fire Lalonde over the Xmas holidays...Makes you wonder how many chambers Yzerman has left in his gun, before he himself gets the bullet..?

 

[StreetHawk]

That's pretty 'Grinchy' of the Red Wings to fire Lalonde over the Xmas holidays...Makes you wonder how many chambers Yzerman has left in his gun, before he himself gets the bullet..?

He did keep Blashill up through 2022 (extending) at some point when He took over in 2019. That bought him some extra time as they were a bad team at that point and he didn't have to waste a bullet on one of "his" hires.

Goal for McClelland is to get the Wings into the playoffs. So, he probably has til 27 PO at the latest to accomplish that. Might even need to get it down by 26 PO.

 

[Bleach Clean]

still remember when laine was being compared to ovie

not even close.

The one that stuck out to me was when he was compared to Matthews. No way.

All he had was the shot by comparison, and they were close in that regard too. It just didn't make sense.

 

[krutovsdonut]

Grier has done what he was supposed to do. Collect assets and move off guys.
But, I don't like to judge how good a GM is until they have to acquire the pieces necessary to build a team. When you need to fix the 2C, spot, another top 4D, etc. that is when you have pressure on you to figure out that move. Right now, all of these rebuilding GMs have time on their side for the most part and just collect assets.
But, assets don't automatically form a good team. Need to still move guys in and out to find the right mix.

Grier also hired and fired a HC in Quinn after 2 seasons. So this current HC needs to last longer than that.

true. but i think he's done well so far and potentially set himself or someone else up for success in stage two.

Todd McLellan is never the answer

i don't even know what the question is with yzerman. is he still trying to harvest high draft picks trying to get a core piece, or is mclellan coming in to run with what they have.

 

[tantalum]

i don't even know what the question is with yzerman. is he still trying to harvest high draft picks trying to get a core piece, or is mclellan coming in to run with what they have.

Yes

 

[Quinning]

Celebrini's one timer is insane. It reminds me of Draisaitl with how much power he can generate from these weird angles.

 

[StreetHawk]

Celebrini's one timer is insane. It reminds me of Draisaitl with how much power he can generate from these weird angles.

I didn’t follow prospects as closely in 23 or 24. But seems like Bedard got way more hype than Cellibrini did. Wonder if it was due to bias of chl vs ncaa paths these 2 chose. Bedard’s WHL numbers were insane but factoring his size/skating/defence should have been part of the scouting process.

 

[Jerry the great]

The one that stuck out to me was when he was compared to Matthews. No way.

All he had was the shot by comparison, and they were close in that regard too. It just didn't make sense.

only Ovie (82) scored more goal than Laine (80) in his first two seasons in the league and he played 9 additional games. Laine was elite finisher from the get go and then he just fizzled. easy to laugh at the comparisons now, but over those first two seasons (when people were making them) they were valid.

 

[Bleach Clean]

only Ovie (82) scored more goal than Laine (80) in his first two seasons in the league and he played 9 additional games. Laine was elite finisher from the get go and then he just fizzled. easy to laugh at the comparisons now, but over those first two seasons (when people were making them) they were valid.

For just shooting acumen, sure.

That's not the comparison that caught my attention early on.

 

[ManVanFan]

 

[Vector]

 

[timw33]

Colorado really is a team that does things with confidence, so that doesn't surprise me. They went out and got Kuemper, then they went out and got Giorgiev and gave him an immediate 3 year deal, and now they targeted Blackwood and extended two weeks later.

Goalies can be absolute voodoo, but he's been solid this year and firmly in the category of "above average" that the Avs need for their team to succeed. Age 28-32 seasons.

 

[LemonSauceD]

lmfao.

There goes re signing Lankinen anything under $5M btw.

 

[StreetHawk]

It is crazy how quickly teams go through coaches. But easier to blame the HC than make moves in the nhl. Barring the high end guys like AV who was making $5 mill at the end these HC are like $1.5 mill or under. So the cost isn’t very high to move off guys like Lalonde, Quinn, Richardson.

 

[ManVanFan]

lmfao.

There goes re signing Lankinen anything under $5M btw.

At this point in time he's probably worth a late 1st and a 2nd round pick to a team. I'd think if someone presented that offer to the Canucks that they would have to take it.

 

[ManVanFan]

It is crazy how quickly teams go through coaches. But easier to blame the HC than make moves in the nhl. Barring the high end guys like AV who was making $5 mill at the end these HC are like $1.5 mill or under. So the cost isn’t very high to move off guys like Lalonde, Quinn, Richardson.

You either vibe with the players or you are out the door it seems. Feels like Canucks went from TG attempt at toughness and structure to Bruce's free flowing back to Tocchet with another attempt at toughness and structure. Not sure they would go after Tocchet. I could see Colliton getting another shot or even Ex Oil coach Jay Woodcroft.

David Quinn was always someone I thought had a tough go. He had Adam Fox and Erik Karlsson when they won the Norris trophies.

Lalonde I thought was doing well considering the roster he has.

 

[Jerry the great]

At this point in time he's probably worth a late 1st and a 2nd round pick to a team. I'd think if someone presented that offer to the Canucks that they would have to take it.

why would someone pay that? Blackwood is a good comp and he just cost the Avs SFA.

 

[ManVanFan]

why would someone pay that? Blackwood is a good comp and he just cost the Avs SFA.

He cost the Avs a young roster player and a 2nd round pick. Lankinen salary is a 1/3 of either goalie.

Markstrom was traded for a first and Kevin ball former 2nd rounder.

Back ups are traded for 3rd round picks.

Georgiev went to the Av's for a 3rd, 5th, 3rd.

Kuemper was traded to the Av's because they desperately needed a goalie for a 1st, prospect picked in the 2nd and a 3rd rounder.

MTL desperate for a goalie, extra picks. Fowler couple years away, might get 2-2nds out of them.
Flyers need a goalie as well. 3 1sts and 3 2nds in the 2025 draft.

 

[Jerry the great]

He cost the Avs a young roster player and a 2nd round pick. Lankinen salary is a 1/3 of either goalie.

Markstrom was traded for a first and Kevin ball former 2nd rounder.

Back ups are traded for 3rd round picks.

Georgiev went to the Av's for a 3rd, 5th, 3rd.

Kuemper was traded to the Av's because they desperately needed a goalie for a 1st, prospect picked in the 2nd and a 3rd rounder.

MTL desperate for a goalie, extra picks. Fowler couple years away, might get 2-2nds out of them.
Flyers need a goalie as well. 3 1sts and 3 2nds in the 2025 draft.

Other than Blackwood, none of the players involved in that trade moved the value needle at all (everyone else's deal expires at the end of the year and Kovalenko looks like a good bet to return to the KHL).

so the team most desperate for a goalie just sent a 2nd round pick in 2026 and exchanged 5ths; that doesn't make Lankinen worth a 1st and a 2nd round pick.

IF we fall out of the race and a contending team really wants an insurance policy, i can see someone putting their 2nd and a prospect on the table.

All that said, as long as we're in a playoff spot, he's worth more to us than whatever he'd likely return.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Jim Benning

 

[F A N]

I am surprised that Yzerman didn’t hire this guy: