Around the League Thread | Where elbows aren’t penalties and what’s the capital of Thailand again?

[vadim sharifijanov]

time to bust this out again

 

[Red]

Oilers fans appear to be coping by:

1) Saying their series against us was really a sweep/should have been a sweep without Skinner
2) Saying they're playing 20-70 days longer than their rivals

Lmao

 

[Bourne Endeavor]

How much will Draisaitl ask for if he chooses to stay? 14mil after hometown discount?

The real question will be if he even wants to stay regardless of what Edmonton offers. He may just want a fresh start somewhere else or hell, a chance to be "the guy" and not the Malkin to McDavid's Crosby.

 

[bbud]

That's what was so frustrating about the Canucks-Oilers series......there's absolutely no guarantees of getting another serious crack at it next year.

The Canucks loaded up near the TDL with Lindholm and Zadorov, and may not end up being able sign either one. And there's seven other UFA's who may or not be back. Next year's Canucks lineup will, by necessity, be a lot different. And there's no guarantees that it will be as good.

Look at the Canucks and the Oilers. The last time the Canucks made the Cup final was 2011, and before that in 1994. Before this year, the Oilers made the Cup finals in 2006. That's a long, long gap between appearances for both franchises.

The Rutherford/Alvin work so far has been amazing expect they will add and subtract players as needed again its hard to question the improvement in a short period at this point.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Watching Forsling makes me furious.

It really really does.

If you are a Vancouver fan and it doesn't. you must have drain bamage.

Forsling is 29 and has played 7 professional North American seasons. The last 4 in Florida with the Panthers where he has been a top 6 defender for the past 3
He has totaled 397 NHL GP.
It appears, short of a miracle, he will be hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Vancouver traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks in January of the same season he was drafted, 2014-15, for Adam Clendening. That was Clendening's 3rd season with the the Balckhawks during which he played all but 3 games withthe AHL Rockford IceHogs.

Clendening played 17 games for the Canucks that season before he was reassigned to the Utica Comets where he played 11 regular season games and 23 playoff games.

He was traded before the next season to to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

During his 11 professional seasons played in North America he played for 17 different teams between the AHL and the NHL. In 7 of those seasons he played a total of 90 games in the NHL. 60 were played with 3 different teams:
NY Rangers - 31
Edmonton Oilers - 20
Vancouver Canucks 17
The remaining games were all numbered in single digits spread out among the other 4 NHL teams.

He finally gave it up in NA for the 23-24 season and played with Ilves of the Liiga in Finland.

Normal for him 1 yr was enough. He is signed for 2024-25 to play for the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL in China.
You may recognize some of his NA team mates also on the team.

Canadians:
Kyle Wood - 2014 Rd3, #84 Colorado Rockies
4 yrs in the AHL
Off to Europe:
DEL
Czechia, 2 seasons
China, 3 seasons including '25-26

Ryan Merkley - 2018 Rd1, #21 San Jose Sharks
4 seasons in the AHL with 39 games with the NHL Sharks in '21-22
2 seasons in China including upcoming '24-25

Martin Lefebvre - Undrafted
14 ECHL games before entering college
4 seasons in CIS at U of Quebec-Trois-Rivieres
11 ECHL games after his 4th college season ended
He's been in Europe ever since:
Denmark
DEL (Germany)
2 more in Denmark
2 in Norway
Finland
'24-25 China

Austin Wong - Rd7, #215 Winnipeg Jets
2 years NCAA Harvard
China - 2 seasons including upcoming '24-25
Winipeg still owns his rights.

Americans:
Ian McCoshen - 2013 Rd1, 31st OA selection by the Florida Panthers.
3 seasons at NCAA Boston
6 seasons in the AHL with brief stops in Florida in each of the first 3 seasons with the Panthers.
Then off to Europe Euorpe
Liiga in '22-23
Czechia in '23-24
China for '24-25

Doyle Somerby -Rd5, #125 NY Islanders
4 Yrs NCAA Boston U.
5 AHL seasons with 3 different teams
3 seasons in China including upcoming '24-25

Jake Chelios - Undrafted son of NHL "Hall of Fame" member Chris Chelios. 4yrs at NCAA Michigan State, 5yrs in the AHL and 5 games with the Detroit Red Wings in his final season in North America
Nolan Moyle - 5 seasons at NCAA U of Michigan and straight to China out of college for the 23-24 season.

Then there's 7 more with dual China/Canada papers.

Never heard of these guys? Probably not because they never made much of a splash. Clendening will be one of, if not the oldest, and the most NA pro experienced. Maybe he's finally found a team where he becomes the leader and a star. Meanwhile Forsling is probably about to be top 6 D-man on a Stanley cup winner. I'm thinking he could have been a valuable player for the Canucks, if not for 1 of the brilliant moves by Benning! Traded for a guy who couldn't skate at the NHL level.

Sorry, for this diatribe but I couldn't sleep. I remember ths move as if it was yesterday. It was the only season Vancouver put a contending roster in Utica thanks to the work of Vancouver Asst. GM Lorne Henning, who acted as GM for the Comets, and Pat Conacher, Director of Hockey Operations.

 

[valkynax]

If you are a Vancouver fan and it doesn't. you must have drain bamage.

Forsling is 29 and has played 7 professional North American seasons. The last 4 in Florida with the Panthers where he has been a top 6 defender for the past 3
He has totaled 397 NHL GP.
It appears, short of a miracle, he will be hoisting the Stanley Cup.

Vancouver traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks in January of the same season he was drafted, 2014-15, for Adam Clendening. That was Clendening's 3rd season with the the Balckhawks during which he played all but 3 games withthe AHL Rockford IceHogs.

Clendening played 17 games for the Canucks that season before he was reassigned to the Utica Comets where he played 11 regular season games and 23 playoff games.

He was traded before the next season to to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

During his 11 professional seasons played in North America he played for 17 different teams between the AHL and the NHL. In 7 of those seasons he played a total of 90 games in the NHL. 60 were played with 3 different teams:
NY Rangers - 31
Edmonton Oilers - 20
Vancouver Canucks 17
The remaining games were all numbered in single digits spread out among the other 4 NHL teams.

He finally gave it up in NA for the 23-24 season and played with Ilves of the Liiga in Finland.

Normal for him 1 yr was enough. He is signed for 2024-25 to play for the Kunlun Red Star of the KHL in China.
You may recognize some of his NA team mates also on the team.

Canadians:
Kyle Wood - 2014 Rd3, #84 Colorado Rockies
4 yrs in the AHL
Off to Europe:
DEL
Czechia, 2 seasons
China, 3 seasons including '25-26

Ryan Merkley - 2018 Rd1, #21 San Jose Sharks
4 seasons in the AHL with 39 games with the NHL Sharks in '21-22
2 seasons in China including upcoming '24-25

Martin Lefebvre - Undrafted
14 ECHL games before entering college
4 seasons in CIS at U of Quebec-Trois-Rivieres
11 ECHL games after his 4th college season ended
He's been in Europe ever since:
Denmark
DEL (Germany)
2 more in Denmark
2 in Norway
Finland
'24-25 China

Austin Wong - Rd7, #215 Winnipeg Jets
2 years NCAA Harvard
China - 2 seasons including upcoming '24-25
Winipeg still owns his rights.

Americans:
Ian McCoshen - 2013 Rd1, 31st OA selection by the Florida Panthers.
3 seasons at NCAA Boston
6 seasons in the AHL with brief stops in Florida in each of the first 3 seasons with the Panthers.
Then off to Europe Euorpe
Liiga in '22-23
Czechia in '23-24
China for '24-25

Doyle Somerby -Rd5, #125 NY Islanders
4 Yrs NCAA Boston U.
5 AHL seasons with 3 different teams
3 seasons in China including upcoming '24-25

Jake Chelios - Undrafted son of NHL "Hall of Fame" member Chris Chelios. 4yrs at NCAA Michigan State, 5yrs in the AHL and 5 games with the Detroit Red Wings in his final season in North America
Nolan Moyle - 5 seasons at NCAA U of Michigan and straight to China out of college for the 23-24 season.

Then there's 7 more with dual China/Canada papers.

Never heard of these guys? Probably not because they never made much of a splash. Clendening will be one of, if not the oldest, and the most NA pro experienced. Maybe he's finally found a team where he becomes the leader and a star. Meanwhile Forsling is probably about to be top 6 D-man on a Stanley cup winner. I'm thinking he could have been a valuable player for the Canucks, if not for 1 of the brilliant moves by Benning! Traded for a guy who couldn't skate at the NHL level.

Sorry, for this diatribe but I couldn't sleep. I remember ths move as if it was yesterday. It was the only season Vancouver put a contending roster in Utica thanks to the work of Vancouver Asst. GM Lorne Henning, who acted as GM for the Comets, and Pat Conacher, Director of Hockey Operations.

I totally get the idea that Forsling might not have turned out so well had he not been traded, it definitely could just be a sequence of events that panned out much like the butterfly effect. My central gripe with the situation remains the same: the trade was so...POINTLESS. For most other GM's this could potentially be a heavy contributor to being fired, but oh boy did the Reign of Error live up to its reputation and then some...compare with the dozens of dimwitted moves made this really doesn't look as bad.

Regardless, if Panthers end up winning, Forsling's story will become a legendary one. And so will OEL but for a very different reason. Of course, Roberto Luongo will get his vindicated ending to a degree.

 

[crazychimp]

Playoff hockey is different, these guys know how to adapt and change the way they want to play.

This is how Barkov won a selke he played this style the entire season goes into the playoffs and look at what he does. Amazing.

 

[Svencouver]

The real question will be if he even wants to stay regardless of what Edmonton offers. He may just want a fresh start somewhere else or hell, a chance to be "the guy" and not the Malkin to McDavid's Crosby.

I feel like Boston is the most obvious destination here

 

[DimitriL07]

I miss Quinn Hughes playing hockey.

 

[Wisp]

Forsling makes me furious too. Lol, if Oilers fans wanted to troll me they'd attack with that and not the series win. That's the least effected I've been by playoffs loss ever, knowing the Oilers got lucky with a Demko & Boeser injuries advanced just to get humiliated by the Panthers as their window begins to slam shut. I'm more worried about how Draisaitl or McDavid's new teams might eff us.

 

[VanJack]

Forsling makes me furious too. Lol, if Oilers fans wanted to troll me they'd attack with that and not the series win. That's the least effected I've been by playoffs loss ever, knowing the Oilers got lucky with a Demko & Boeser injuries advanced just to get humiliated by the Panthers as their window begins to slam shut. I'm more worried about how Draisaitl or McDavid's new teams might eff us.

In fairness to the Canucks, Forsling bounced around the league a bit before landing in Florida. After his rights were traded to the Hawks by the Canucks, he spent parts of three seasons bouncing back and forth between Chicago and their AHL farm team in Rockford.

And he spent the entire 2019-20 season with the Charlotte Checkers, who I believe at that time were affiliated with Carolina. The Hurricanes eventually put him on waivers, and he was claimed by Florida in 2021.

So obviously it's not been a linear progression to the NHL after being drafted in the fifth round by the Canucks in 2014. But just goes to show, that for late round draft picks like Forsling, it's all about player development and just getting an opportunity.

 

[LordBacon]

Honestly if he can beat Edmonton for us then it's a great consolation prize!

Bro you are without a doubt one of the most positive posters here.
Love it.

 

[HockeyWooot]

With a healthy Demko and Petey, the odds are decent we would have lifted the Cup this year.

Way she goes though. Sometimes she goes. Sometimes she doesn't.

Or at least got past the Oilers, Demko in of himself would have been the difference. If you have a game breaker in net the team will play a bit more relaxed and take more chances offensively.

Either ways this year was a good first run of experience for Hughes et al. I expect they will be on mission to step it up next year.

 

[tantalum]

The Oilers far outchanced them and had more high danger chances. Bob was just way better than Skinner. Also, the Oilers were making a LOT of mistakes.

But at the time it was 4-1 that wasn’t the case. Scoring chances were about even and the Panthers held an edge in high danger chances.

For the game the Oilers actually trailed in xGF.

 

[mathonwy]

Forsling makes me furious too. Lol, if Oilers fans wanted to troll me they'd attack with that and not the series win. That's the least effected I've been by playoffs loss ever, knowing the Oilers got lucky with a Demko & Boeser injuries advanced just to get humiliated by the Panthers as their window begins to slam shut. I'm more worried about how Draisaitl or McDavid's new teams might eff us.

Oilers fans - Canucks suck because they got beat by a team that got swept.

Canucks fans - Feelsbadman.png

 

[tantalum]

The best part is that it isn’t really Skinner that is actually costing them this series. He made a gaff last night but Ceci and Holloway also blew their assignments on that goal.

What has killed the Oilers is the no shows from Draisatl, Hyman, Kane, RNH, Bouchard and Ekholm. Not even no shows but hurting the team. Hell add McDavid to that. He has points but he has been ineffective overall.

Without a PP the Oilers are OK but not great. They need it to function at 30+%. If not they lose.

 

[Hit the post]

Crosby would never get swept in the finals, is all I'm saying

 

[WetcoastOrca]

Skinner has played well except really last night. The real reason the Oilers are losing is that McDavid, Drai, Hyman, RNH, and Bouchard their top 5 scorers in the regular season have…checks notes…zero goals. And the power play they lived and died by all season has been shut down.
Two goals in the first 8 periods of the series is the biggest issue. Not goaltending.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Skinner has played well except really last night. The real reason the Oilers are losing is that McDavid, Drai, Hyman, RNH, and Bouchard their top 5 scorers in the regular season have…checks notes…zero goals. And the power play they lived and died by all season has been shut down.
Two goals in the first 8 periods of the series is the biggest issue. Not goaltending.

While you’re correct that their big guns haven’t done enough, Skinner hasn’t been good enough. He was okay in Game 1 - but he’s gotten exposed again in the past two games, and has to be one of the worst starting goalies to get to the Finals in a good while. Antti Niemi is probably the last guy that comes to mind, although his teams were a lot better at masking his shortcomings - particularly Chicago.

 

[WetcoastOrca]

While you’re correct that their big guns haven’t done enough, Skinner hasn’t been good enough. He was okay in Game 1 - but he’s gotten exposed again in the past two games, and has to be one of the worst starting goalies to get to the Finals in a good while. Antti Niemi is probably the last guy that comes to mind, although his teams were a lot better at masking his shortcomings - particularly Chicago.

He’s definitely not good enough but rewatch the first two game highlights. Every goal is scored by an egregious give away by the Oilers. Save percentage is a pretty blunt way of measuring a goalies effectiveness as the Oilers D gives grade A chances away so many times even when they are limiting shots on net.

 

[nucks88]

Gene Principe really enjoyed the Florida sun...looks like a Oompa Loompa

Hanging out with Wayne…

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

That's odd. I used to get laugh emoji responses by certain peeps through 3 rounds. Those peeps have since vanished.

 

[Grumbler]

Oilers coach in their PGT: "I think we showed that we can beat this team. I think there is a lot of belief in that" What??

 

[I am toxic]

Forsling played 28:41 last night.

Think about that for a moment.

A Canucks 5th round pick.

Last year's cup final featured two Canucks 5th round draft picks.

No one wins the Cup without a Canucks 5th round pick.

Jus' sayin'

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Forsling played 28:41 last night.

Think about that for a moment.

A Canucks 5th round pick.

Last year's cup final featured two Canucks 5th round draft picks.

No one wins the Cup without a Canucks 5th round pick.

Jus' sayin'

A lot of Canuck connections in Florida. Luongo in the front office, Forsling and OEL on defense, Gadjovich in the press box…