Around the League Thread | The one where the NHL once again is the worst.

[CanuckleBerry]

Larry Robinson had a +120 on the iconic 1977 Montreal Canadiens team.

When I see numbers like that, honestly I have a hard time taking it seriously. It’s inherently difficult, maybe impossible, to compare different eras of the sport. But I feel something like +/- to such an absurd level really just highlights the broken level of competition. Fantastic talents, yes, without question. But who the hell were they playing against? The stars of today would have to be playing against minor leaguers to put up a number like that.

 

[EpochLink]

When I see numbers like that, honestly I have a hard time taking it seriously. It’s inherently difficult, maybe impossible, to compare different eras of the sport. But I feel something like +/- to such an absurd level really just highlights the broken level of competition. Fantastic talents, yes, without question. But who the hell were they playing against? The stars of today would have to be playing against minor leaguers to put up a number like that.

Larry Robinson is a HOF defensemen for a reason, guy was a great 2 way player.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

When I see numbers like that, honestly I have a hard time taking it seriously. It’s inherently difficult, maybe impossible, to compare different eras of the sport. But I feel something like +/- to such an absurd level really just highlights the broken level of competition. Fantastic talents, yes, without question. But who the hell were they playing against? The stars of today would have to be playing against minor leaguers to put up a number like that.

There was a large imbalance of power in that era. IMHO, the 1970's had the lowest LQ since WWII. A huge amount of expansion, combined with a second professional league in the WHA and very little in the way of European or American players made for a serious watering down of the available talent. Which is why the game got so violent. If you couldn't sell skill, you could sell thuggery.
Lafleur, Robinson, Orr, Esposito and the like were making hay against some poor talent and that needs to be taken into account... but they all were as talented as hell and they took a beating playing the game as it was played at that time. The "stars of today" would put up similar ludicrous stats, but their careers might be shortened as a result of the style of play, the state of sports medicine and the less sophisticated training regimes.

 

[wetcoast]

Chris Patrick was also hilariously drafted by Washington in 1994 despite being not even good enough to hold down a NCAA roster spot.

This is the nepotism hiring of all nepotism hirings. Dude was basically spoonfed this job since he was 18 years old.

Sure but it's a who cares pick and for the record can anyone even remember the 2 players picked in the 7th round that even made the NHL I couldn't even when i looked up their resumes.

That being said 9 players picked in the 9th round that year played in over 100 NHL games which is realy weird.

 

[Vector]

Sure but it's a who cares pick and for the record can anyone even remember the 2 players picked in the 7th round that even made the NHL I couldn't even when i looked up their resumes.

That being said 9 players picked in the 9th round that year played in over 100 NHL games which is realy weird.

6 of them were goalies, three in a row, which is interesting but makes sense.

 

[RobertKron]

Chris Patrick was also hilariously drafted by Washington in 1994 despite being not even good enough to hold down a NCAA roster spot.

This is the nepotism hiring of all nepotism hirings. Dude was basically spoonfed this job since he was 18 years old.

Not denying the, uh, nepotosity of it all, but it is worth mentioning that he's 6'5" and it was 1994. I can almost guarantee some GM in the 9th round tried to pick a billboard that he thought was an especially tall person.

 

[God]

Lmao, Edmonton did what?

 

[HairyKneel]

Is it really nepotism if your family created the modern version of the sport?

Yes, of course it is. To the point where we know that at least one of Chris' four daughters will be a future GM of the Capitals.

Some folks sure get offended by this apparent "Old Boys Club"

 

[Hit the post]

RIP Capfriendly.

F*ck you Caps.

Have a nice day.

 

[Nuckles]

Supposedly a Rutger McGroarty trade was almost done but then the team heard the demands from his camp and backed out

https://x.com/i/web/status/1811072384490721428

 

[Vector]

Supposedly a Rutger McGroarty trade was almost done but then the team heard the demands from his camp and backed out

https://x.com/i/web/status/1811072384490721428

Kids names Rutger and Cutter are entitled?!?

 

[StreetHawk]

Kids names Rutger and Cutter are entitled?!?

Honestly, no clue how old those guys are, but these 50-60 year olds just throwing out "hearing" means that they have no concrete source. So, take that with a grain of salt.

Hearing??? from whom? A legit source that you would put your reputation on? no. of course not. These guys are no better than teens just blabbering to each other.... Going to tarnish someone's rep and name over "hearing"? I'm a NFL follower and I agree with the Colts GM Ballard when he lashed out against media on a WR he took in round 2.

Would it surprise me if these kids want to be assured spots on an NHL club? I wouldn't be surprised. But, in the end, all an NHL club can do is promise you an opportunity, not a spot. If you earn it out of camp, you still need to keep it after 10, 15, 20 games into the season.

 

[Hit the post]

I'm a NFL follower...[removed rest of quote for brevity]

OT - quick easy trivia question (heh, it's a slow day):

Who is the only football player to win both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl (as a player) for the *SAME* city?

 

[Vector]

OT - quick easy trivia question (heh, it's a slow day):

Who is the only football player to win both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl (as a player) for the *SAME* city?

I knew the city but had no idea about the player. That’s a cool bit of trivia.

 

[StreetHawk]

OT - quick easy trivia question (heh, it's a slow day):

Who is the only football player to win both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl (as a player) for the *SAME* city?

Gotta be Baltimore Stallions and Ravens. OJ Brigance. Think he suffered from a tough medical condition that either forced him to retire or it developed right about when he retired.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Kids names Rutger and Cutter are entitled?!?

in my head they all look like this guy and have sisters named madison and mackenzie

 

[Vector]

 

[LordBacon]

OT - quick easy trivia question (heh, it's a slow day):

Who is the only football player to win both a Grey Cup and a Super Bowl (as a player) for the *SAME* city?

Lebron James

 

[lawrence]

Jeff Jackson is going to win the Oilers a Cup.

I feel they are the strongest team in the pacific but now its starting to get overrated.

L.A kings was a freebie for them.
round 2 they faced a 4th string goalie.
round 3 they beat dallas,
round 4 they lost.

So overall not as good as we think. I feel we would have beaten them have we had our number 1 goalie, or HAVE they have used their 4th string, so 2 out of the 3 "real" opponents" for the Oilers were teams capable of beating them. So I don't think its that easy for them,

For all the complaining about tampering, the system is probably working as it should.

You don't want players being talked to while they're still playing, but after that it makes no sense for them to spin their wheels for up to 2 months. Nothing is legal until July 1 and the NHL gets its big day but also gets a good run up of speculation. It's obviously not fait accompli or teams wouldn't be spending assets to obtain rights. That said, if exact contract details are being leaked prior to July 1 the league should be conducting an investigation - that keeps everyone somewhat honest. It is a bit of a disadvantage for players who are still playing late into the playoffs but players on successful playoff teams are usually at a premium regardless.

at some point, Milstein probably let teams know that Zadarov is unlikely to sign in Vancouver (pre july 1st) but theres still a chance, and other teams, expressed interest in him already, but the only thing they cant do is negotiate numbers until july 1st. I think that's fair. similar to Lindholm, that its so unlikely to sign with Vancouver that other teams contacted his agent, and ask whats going on? he just says its unlikely to sign in Vancouver, other teams knew, and prepared an offer.

 

[LandfiII]

I loved O.J. Brigance when he played here.

 

[bandwagonesque]

Kids names Rutger and Cutter are entitled?!?

Cutter ... Cutter! I'm going to count to three

 

[StreetHawk]

Cutter ... Cutter! I'm going to count to three

Just checked the USNTDP rosters for 18 and 17 year olds. A few "old money" type names, but nothing that is as close to cutter/rutger. Thinking names like Hunter, Conrad, Lincoln, etc. More of a last name vs a first name to me. But, whatever....

Curious to see how NHL ready Gauthier will be for Ana. They really load managed Carlsson last season, but he was 18. Cutter is 20, so should be more physically ready. See if he sticks the whole season or ends up in SD at some point in time.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

Just checked the USNTDP rosters for 18 and 17 year olds. A few "old money" type names, but nothing that is as close to cutter/rutger. Thinking names like Hunter, Conrad, Lincoln, etc. More of a last name vs a first name to me. But, whatever....

right, by contrast rutger and cutter are new money names aren’t they? where you get these weird basically borderline parody names that might as well be waspy mcwasperson?

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

Moser at $3.375M AAV for the next two years is going to make that Sergachev deal look even more like a ridiculous steal for Tbay.

 

[StreetHawk]

Moser at $3.375M AAV for the next two years is going to make that Sergachev deal look even more like a ridiculous steal for Tbay.

It buys TB time for the cap to rise before they have to pay him again. He was an older player when drafted. Might be the only player drafted in the 202X so far that was eligible for arbitration. He was like 20 or even 21 when drafted.