Around The League Thread | Let the Games Begin

[Caspian]

I went to hockeydb and saw the picture and knew right away it was true. Wider jaw than his dad but same hair and eyes. Jason Blake really stood out when he played.

He needs to wear the giant visor like pops to complete the iconic look

 

[ManVanFan]

Please Canucks management, keep drafting and developing defencemen otherwise this.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1850900871992799727

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Jake McCabe is a really good defenseman and I'd rather have that contract than, eg, the Tyler Myers one.

 

[bandwagonesque]

Jake McCabe is a really good defenseman and I'd rather have that contract than, eg, the Tyler Myers one.

Yeah, I expected a bigger discount on Myers and could have taken or left him at the contract he actually got in the end.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

Jake McCabe is a really good defenseman and I'd rather have that contract than, eg, the Tyler Myers one.

Their top 4 may be average but they are only making less than 20 mil combined and locked up for the duration of this cores contention window.

That said, they may need another top 4 guy. If I'm Toronto, I would look at LA and maybe pursue Doughty if the Kings season goes south.

 

[StreetHawk]

They are a bit away. Give the little Pig Farmer some credit. He's been there for three or four years. They have some great pieces. By 26/27 I'd be shocked if that team isn't a wagon.

Verbeek has been there since just before the 2022 TDL. But, Murray wasn't pulling a Holland and trying to make the PO in 2020-2022. He had added 2 first rounders to the pool, but both Tracey and Perreault are gone. Zegras is probably best moved to the wing or traded from how things sound there. Drysdale was traded for Gauthier. They've been worst and 3rd worst in the 2 full seasons under Verbeek.

I do think Ana needs to clear out anyone who doesn't want to finish their current contract as a Duck. Be it Gibson, Fowler, and/or Zegras. They have had plenty of draft capital since missing the PO. 4 extra firsts and a couple of extra seconds at least. Need to begin assembling the team. Cronin was Verbeek's hire and he needs to give him something to work with to get outside the bottom 5. Ducks were 17 points behind Montreal for 5th worst. That's quite the jump to go from 3rd worst to 5th worst.

 

[ManVanFan]

Jake McCabe is a really good defenseman and I'd rather have that contract than, eg, the Tyler Myers one.

I like McCabe too, I'm just not ready to pay him 4.5M until he's 36 years old.

Yeah, I expected a bigger discount on Myers and could have taken or left him at the contract he actually got in the end.

Yzerman set the bar, if you can play half decent as a 3rd pairing guy, you get 3M plus per year.

 

[timw33]

Jake McCabe is a really good defenseman and I'd rather have that contract than, eg, the Tyler Myers one.

A bunch of us (myself included) were stumping for McCabe back in 2021, but instead we uhhh went a different route acquiring OEL.

People were crapping on the McCabe to Toronto trade, which was insane when Toronto got 2.5 seasons of McCabe at an unbelievable bargain 2MM with retention.

We need to aggressively hunt out the next McCabe like opportunity.

 

[Vector]

A bunch of us (myself included) were stumping for McCabe back in 2021, but instead we uhhh went a different route acquiring OEL.

People were crapping on the McCabe to Toronto trade, which was insane when Toronto got 2.5 seasons of McCabe at an unbelievable bargain 2MM with retention.

We need to aggressively hunt out the next McCabe like opportunity.

The McCabe trade for Toronto was fantastic. I'm not super hot on this contract given his age and injury history. Maple Leafs can't seem to build a defence corps, so I get it.

 

[timw33]

The McCabe trade for Toronto was fantastic. I'm not super hot on this contract given his age and injury history. Maple Leafs can't seem to build a defence corps, so I get it.

Age/Injury history for all of them, but when you're talking about a Top 4 where the salary structure is 7.5, 4.5, 4.5, 3.5, you're in good shape and gives you flexibility to add, especially with cap rises.

 

[credulous]

Age/Injury history for all of them, but when you're talking about a Top 4 where the salary structure is 7.5, 4.5, 4.5, 3.5, you're in good shape and gives you flexibility to add, especially with cap rises.

their problem is really they don't have an all situations number one guy though. that structure looks a lot worse when you put a 9.5 at the head of it and bump everyone down a slot

 

[VanillaCoke]

Age/Injury history for all of them, but when you're talking about a Top 4 where the salary structure is 7.5, 4.5, 4.5, 3.5, you're in good shape and gives you flexibility to add, especially with cap rises.

On paper that all sounds good, especially if talking about Van, Ottawa, Cgy etc with solid defensemen.

While McCabe is a good player on a 'fair' deal, the rest of that Twenty million dollar defense core is made of old semi washed mids, with nothing but overpaid liljegren, hakanpaa, Benoit behind them.

Rielly
OEL
Tanev
McCabe

Would've been sweet D core in 2018, par for the course for bad Brad.

 

[Bojack Horvatman]

Jake McCabe is a really good defenseman and I'd rather have that contract than, eg, the Tyler Myers one.

I like McCabe too. That being said, that Leafs defence is old and all have term. For a couple years they should be fine in the regular season. Could be completely fatigued for the playoffs though which is not good for a team under pressure to get it done in the postseason

 

[andora]

Toronto is so f***ed

Unreal the direction tavares took them

 

[StreetHawk]

Toronto is so f***ed

Unreal the direction tavares took them

He was a luxury add. If he was a Dman like DD or Hedman then it would have a been a great addition. But leafs didn’t need another offensive C with Matthews and Kadri. Does this occur if Kadri keeps his cool in the PO and doesn’t get suspended?

 

[arttk]

He was a luxury add. If he was a Dman like DD or Hedman then it would have a been a great addition. But leafs didn’t need another offensive C with Matthews and Kadri. Does this occur if Kadri keeps his cool in the PO and doesn’t get suspended?

Kadri was super unreliable, he was getting suspended like every single playoffs with remarkable consistency.

 

[StreetHawk]

Kadri was super unreliable, he was getting suspended like every single playoffs with remarkable consistency.

He would also get caught up emotionally feeling that he needed to do something as the Leafs didn’t have pushback in the PO. The old beat them on the PP mindset which if they don’t call it you don’t get PP. They got Barrie in return for him and he was exposed in Toronto.

 

[arttk]

He would also get caught up emotionally feeling that he needed to do something as the Leafs didn’t have pushback in the PO. The old beat them on the PP mindset which if they don’t call it you don’t get PP. They got Barrie in return for him and he was exposed in Toronto.

such a dumbass trade

 

[Wisp]

Please Canucks management, keep drafting and developing defencemen otherwise this.

https://x.com/i/web/status/1850900871992799727

there's a reason Myers costs $3 and $McCabe costs 4.5. with expansion there are less good defensemen to go around. drafting and developing is so important right now.

 

[arttk]

there's a reason Myers costs $3 and $McCabe costs 4.5. with expansion there are less good defensemen to go around. drafting and developing is so important right now.

god and there are like 2 more expansions teams coming

 

[Kryten]

god and there are like 2 more expansions teams coming

Which is why I was hoping Zads was kept. The dilution of talent especially on D these days and the upcoming years

 

[arttk]

Which is why I was hoping Zads was kept. The dilution of talent especially on D these days and the upcoming years

well you would just end up exposing him to expansion draft.

 

[Burke's Evil Spirit]

Yzerman set the bar, if you can play half decent as a 3rd pairing guy, you get 3M plus per year.

There's no question Myers took a below market deal (especially if you look at what similarly aged comparables like Dillon and Brodie got) but it's still not great value.

 

[StreetHawk]

well you would just end up exposing him to expansion draft.

Depending on which cities get a team, teams will k ow their timeline. Houston is the quickest to be ready as they have their arena. Atlanta next but will need 3 years from the award date before arena is completed. Need to get all permits and plans approved before shovels hit the ground. Arizona, don’t foresee an nhl only arena. Figure it has to be with the suns. Those are the NHL’s desired targets first.

But right now can’t worry about a potential ED. Just be smart with nmc and ED protections to your ufas.

Developing Defence is something the Canucks really need to improve upon. Been nearly a decade from when Benning took charge and if you didn’t walk right into the nhl the A wasn’t going to help you get to the nhl. Hope it turns around now with PA and company.

 

[Hansen]

There were rumours that McCabe wanted to come to Vancouver werent there? We were definitely linked 2-3 years back