Around the League Thread | November Rain

[Nuckles]

Have to admit that I was hoping the Canucks would find a way to bring both these guys back to
Vancouver. Fortunately Allvin is the GM, not me.

Boston gave them boat-load of money and term, and it's looking like a disaster right now.

FWIW, it doesn't necessarily mean they would also perform that way here this season. Lindholm took a month and a half to get going after his trade, and Zadorov didn't flourish until the playoffs. Maybe they could have kept it going into this season while staying in this environment. (probably not, but maybe)

That's the risk of blindly throwing big money long-term at a non-star player (or a former star on the decline) in free agency. You don't know if whoever you bring in can fit with your team's systems/strategies/coaching and the other players on the team. That player may have been a product of a certain type of system/environment that isn't going to be replicated on another team. And there's also the "contract year" aspect of it.

 

[Nucker101]

I know he'd play a different role here, but still think we dodged a bulled that Lindholm chose Boston over us. Good player but that contract is brutal.

If the Bruins become sellers, Charlie Coyle with retention would be pretty enticing.

Also dumping Mikheyev was huge, he scored against us but he's been pretty useless in Chicago.

 

[bossram]

I mean, I also don't think Lindholm and Zadorov would be as bad as they are now if they stayed with Vancouver.

But their contracts would still be bad (particularly Lindholm's, there was never any chance he could live up to that contract, no matter the team). There was asymmetric downside with those deals, which is why I very adamantly did not want them re-signed.

The Yzerplan is off the rails in Detroit.

It's been that way for years. Not that Red Wings fans can admit it though.

 

[Wisp]

It's been that way for years. Not that Red Wings fans can admit it though.

there's people here who can't admit it.

 

[valkynax]

there's people here who can't admit it.

I legitly thought Yzerman was Darth Vader of hockey GMs.

Turns out he's more like Jar Jar Binks.

 

[tantalum]

Zadorov for DeBrusk. Who says no at this point?

Umm the Canucks. Debrusk will end up around 45-50 points which is the expectation. 30+ of those will be ES points.

 

[LemonSauceD]

There’s a whole generation of kids who think Detroit and Buffalo are shitty loser teams without knowing these two teams were some of the most winningest teams of all time. It’s just sad what has become of them.

 

[StreetHawk]

I legitly thought Yzerman was Darth Vader of hockey GMs.

Turns out he's more like Jar Jar Binks.

I don't know if not signing those free agents drops Detroit down the draft low enough to out tank Ana, Chi, CBJ, SJ in 22/23 who all had 58-60 points. Det finished with 80 and in 21/22 Det had 74. Bottom 3 had between 55-60 that season.

2-3 more spots higher in the draft wouldn't change Detroit's fortunes right now in 2023 and 2024 drafts.

 

[Bobby9]

Starting to wonder if McDrai have reached their peak and its a slow decline from here on out

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Much like the Nucks, you need luck in the draft.

Detroit has not selected great but they have also not had much luck in the lottery.

Atleast Buffalo has had #1 pick twice in 2018 and 2021.

Both need a massive culture shift but they also need some actually upper end talent.

 

[StreetHawk]

Much like the Nucks, you need luck in the draft.

Detroit has not selected great but they have also not had much luck in the lottery.

Atleast Buffalo has had #1 pick twice in 2018 and 2021.

Both need a massive culture shift but they also need some actually upper end talent.

Without draft luck Det needed to find talent like TB did with Point, Cirelli, in rounds 2-3. So far really none of the extra picks past round 1 have hit for Detroit. 1 piece per draft won’t cut it during a rebuild.

Buffalo, culture of losing.

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Ovie out week-to-week. Brutal.

 

[valkynax]

Ovie out week-to-week. Brutal.

Good lord...

What's with these injuries with such horrible timing? Laine looked to get on fresh start, Nurse was starting to improve, Boeser getting into his killer form, Mantha was building his season from a good start.

And now Ovechkin going on a tear with his mission to surpass Gretzky's goal total.

Has the hockey god become the hockey chaos god?

 

[StreetHawk]

Good lord...

What's with these injuries with such horrible timing? Laine looked to get on fresh start, Nurse was starting to improve, Boeser getting into his killer form, Mantha was building his season from a good start.

And now Ovechkin going on a tear with his mission to surpass Gretzky's goal total.

Has the hockey god become the hockey chaos god?

But, let's add 2 more regular season games for the regulars so that we can cut down 2 pre-season games which most regulars only need 3 to play while the rest are played by prospects and marginal NHL/AHLers to qualify as a "vet".

NHL will always NHL.

 

[Vector]

 

[StreetHawk]

Boston is 10th in the East based on points %. But have already played 20 games with a sub 0.500 record. First HC to pay the price.

 

[VanillaCoke]

Should've stayed where the grass was already green and the fit was great.

 

[Peen]

DeBrusk is always going to be a guy you want more out of but can just live with what he ends up with given he’s good defensively.

Zadorov had ten games at a 2nd pair level. That’s it. Was bad at the end of the oilers series

I wouldn’t touch that trade in any world.

Also have to consider the miles on Zadorov (he’s played a f*** ton of games)

 

[arttk]

Sacco? Is that the legendary coach that tanked the Avs to Mackinnin?

 

[wetcoast]

I'm almost shocked how badly Washington threw this game away after getting almost all the breaks. Winning by two with like six minutes left in the third and literally just blow it with multiple insane turnovers and stupid decisions.

Also ovi plays practically zero defense, if he's not about to score he goes off almost regardless where the puck is, and will still probably do it this year.

Ovi has been like this for the most part for many years now.

There was a sportnet article back after the SC that had Ovechkin at the absolute bottom of the league in terms of winning puck battles and the eye test confirms the stats.

 

[wetcoast]

Starting to wonder if McDrai have reached their peak and its a slow decline from here on out

Sure if by decline you mean 2 guys that you can pencil in for 100-130ish points for the next 5 seasons.

 

[wetcoast]

Boston is 10th in the East based on points %. But have already played 20 games with a sub 0.500 record. First HC to pay the price.

The age related drop off has come 2 seasons later than expected but it's here in Boston and their future isn't bright at all.

 

[Ernie]

That sound you hear is half the GM's in the league calling Montgomery to see if he'll work for them.

Boston should have traded half the team before they fired him.