Around the League XXXIV: Offseason

[x Tame Impala]

I've said it before and I will say again...straight-faced and without sarcasm; There are people in this forum who, literally, could be better GM's than many currently employed NHL ones.

I used to hate this line of thinking. I thought it was meat-headed and arrogant, not anymore. The whole hockey world can see these horrible decisions from miles away and some of these GM's are oblivious to them.

I've never liked Habs fans so i've got a little bit of schadenfreude for their situation, but damn...

-allowing Subban to be treated like garbage
-allowing Galchenyuk to be jerked around and horribly developed and STILL not just trading him
-Subban for Weber
-Therrien
-Shaw trade and subsequent extension, and just a general silliness of overemphasizing "grit" on the roster
-Price extension

I'm sure I'm missing more, but this Galchenyuk thing is particularly crazy. He was the #3 pick and their reward for a horrible season. The Hawks are having a similar season to MTL's a few years ago. Imagine being gifted a top-3 pick, a potential franchise player, and the only redeeming part of having a terrible season, and then waste it all away. From the outside looking in it seems like that kid has never been put in the best chance to succeed. What's worse though is that not only are they squandering his talents, they're not trading him and letting his value getting progressively lower.

I don't think being a GM is as easy as some are making it out to be, but a lot of these bad decisions are easy to spot for even casual fans and these GM's keep making moves like this all the time. Not every GM is going to be Theo Epstein but you have to expect SOME level of nuance and awareness from these GM's. There's a surprisingly low amount of it with a lot of these guys.

 

[TLEH]

I've said it before and I will say again...straight-faced and without sarcasm; There are people in this forum who, literally, could be better GM's than many currently employed NHL ones.

Oh yeah I believe this and have stated as such. I can do a better job than Jim Benning and I believe that.

 

[AmericanDream]

not that this is big news, but I thought a good story.

Columbus is bringing up 30 year old Nathan Gerbe. He spent the past few seasons overseas, but the 5'5 Gerbe is the smallest player in the league again. He has massive quads which has always been his strength, but good to see Gerbe back in the NHL, always liked and rooted for him from years ago.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Gerbe is back??? Nice

 

[Bubba88]

Fun? Maybe. Not very good hockey though. That Canada Finland game was crap.

watching russia is fun, watching finland until that game was fun. Germany Sweden was a pretty good game and far from crap.
At least it was more fun than watching Chicago Ottawa

 

[Hawkaholic]

watching russia is fun, watching finland until that game was fun. Germany Sweden was a pretty good game and far from crap.
At least it was more fun than watching Chicago Ottawa

I actually enjoyed Chicago Ottawa far more than that Finland Canada game.

 

[Blue Liner]

I used to hate this line of thinking. I thought it was meat-headed and arrogant, not anymore. The whole hockey world can see these horrible decisions from miles away and some of these GM's are oblivious to them.

I've never liked Habs fans so i've got a little bit of schadenfreude for their situation, but damn...

-allowing Subban to be treated like garbage
-allowing Galchenyuk to be jerked around and horribly developed and STILL not just trading him
-Subban for Weber
-Therrien
-Shaw trade and subsequent extension, and just a general silliness of overemphasizing "grit" on the roster
-Price extension

I'm sure I'm missing more, but this Galchenyuk thing is particularly crazy. He was the #3 pick and their reward for a horrible season. The Hawks are having a similar season to MTL's a few years ago. Imagine being gifted a top-3 pick, a potential franchise player, and the only redeeming part of having a terrible season, and then waste it all away. From the outside looking in it seems like that kid has never been put in the best chance to succeed. What's worse though is that not only are they squandering his talents, they're not trading him and letting his value getting progressively lower.

I don't think being a GM is as easy as some are making it out to be, but a lot of these bad decisions are easy to spot for even casual fans and these GM's keep making moves like this all the time. Not every GM is going to be Theo Epstein but you have to expect SOME level of nuance and awareness from these GM's. There's a surprisingly low amount of it with a lot of these guys.

I won't speak for anyone else but I know for a fact it is an incredibly difficult job and have never once said otherwise. But speaking from a strictly decision-making capacity and knowing the knowledge and intelligence about the game, personnel, etc of people here and elsewhere, there are people who 100% could do a better job. If for no other reason than some of the really obvious things they see as terrible decisions that they wouldn't make the some GM's still seem to make somehow.

My claim isn't a knee-jerk reaction or meat-headed. It's an opinion that's been formed over the course of a few years here and elsewhere and speaking from my own experience. I have little doubt there are people who could make better decisions than those who are in those seats right now. It's a hard ass job, but there are some rather unqualified/overmatched people doing it right now.

 

[x Tame Impala]

I hope you don't think I was calling you arrogant or meatheaded

 

[Blue Liner]

I hope you don't think I was calling you arrogant or meatheaded

Oh, I know you were. *cracks knuckles* *punches open hand*

 

[x Tame Impala]

I actually enjoyed Chicago Ottawa far more than that Finland Canada game.

Yeah I don't know how people can enjoy the games and say they're fun. Except in some sort of "novelty" way, I guess.

Maybe it's just a European thing? No offense @Bubba88, just that from what I've read on these boards, Euro's tend to have a lot more interest and pride in these international tournaments than Americans do.

I didn't even care about the World Cup of Hockey last year. It's not just the NHL players being there, the games don't mean anything and therefore can never be as exhilarating to watch. Olympic hockey is the only thing that comes close to being as fun to watch as playoff hockey. These "Diet Coke" versions of it do nothing for me

 

[Hawkaholic]

Yeah I don't know how people can enjoy the games and say they're fun. Except in some sort of "novelty" way, I guess.

Maybe it's just a European thing? No offense @Bubba88, just that from what I've read on these boards, Euro's tend to have a lot more interest and pride in these international tournaments than Americans do.

I didn't even care about the World Cup of Hockey last year. It's not just the NHL players being there, the games don't mean anything and therefore can never be as exhilarating to watch. Olympic hockey is the only thing that comes close to being as fun to watch as playoff hockey. These "Diet Coke" versions of it do nothing for me

Not to say I cared about the World Cup, but the hockey was exciting at least.

 

[x Tame Impala]

Not to say I cared about the World Cup, but the hockey was exciting at least.

To each their own. To me it wasn't even as exciting as a meaningful regular season game.

 

[AmericanDream]

Gerbe is back??? Nice

yep, good story to see him back up, not sure for how long since it seems he was called up as Foligno was put on IR- but wish him the best, watching him out there is something to see when surrounded by 6'4 defenders.

 

[Hawkaholic]

To each their own. To me it wasn't even as exciting as a meaningful regular season game.

So you didn't see any great saves, highlight reel goals, end to end action? That's my definition of exciting, and there was lots of it.

 

[Putt Pirate]

Yeah. Olympic hockey just meh to me.

 

[BK]

Matthews hurt again.

 

[x Tame Impala]

So you didn't see any great saves, highlight reel goals, end to end action? That's my definition of exciting, and there was lots of it.

Working with extremes here, but preseason games can have all of that stuff too. It's cool to watch but if the games don't mean anything (and the WCoH absolutely doesn't yet) then no, it's not that exciting for me.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Working with extremes here, but preseason games can have all of that stuff too. It's cool to watch but if the games don't mean anything (and the WCoH absolutely doesn't yet) then no, it's not that exciting for me.

Preseason games don't have nearly as much skill or highlight reel plays as the World Cup did. And it means something to the players, as they were giving it their all every shift, unlike a preseason game. The Olympics mean a lot to the players too, they just suck at hockey, which makes it far less exciting.

 

[ChiHawks10]

Brassard to the Pens for a 1st and Cole + some other stuff going back and forth it seems(money?)

Grabner to the Devils for a 2nd and prospect.

 

[AmericanDream]

wow, did the Penguins give up a lot for Brassard at 18% retention - so much for them getting AA!

Ian Cole and a 1st round pick for Brassard....that is a good haul for Ottawa, Cole isn't that bad of a player.

I definitely think AA can land a first if Brassard got that

 

[ChiHawks10]

wow, did the Penguins give up a lot for Brassard at 18% retention - so much for them getting AA!

Ian Cole and a 1st round pick for Brassard....that is a good haul for Ottawa, Cole isn't that bad of a player.

I definitely think AA can land a first if Brassard got that

Cole is ok, but I guarantee Ottawa flips him before the TDL.

If Brassard got a 1st, AA should as well.

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

No mention of the incredible women's gold medal game?! And y'all call yourself hockey fans.

 

[ChiHawks10]

No mention of the incredible women's gold medal game?! And y'all call yourself hockey fans.

Go back a couple pages

I mentioned it. Couple others did too. Hell, I stayed up till 2am when the medal ceremony was over!

Edit: It was in another thread. Page 43 of the "Other Sports" thread.

 

[AmericanDream]

Cole is ok, but I guarantee Ottawa flips him before the TDL.

If Brassard got a 1st, AA should as well.

yep, pretty similar players...not sure what Brassard's contract is, I would imagine right around $5mil to under same as AA

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

Go back a couple pages

I mentioned it. Couple others did too. Hell, I stayed up till 2am when the medal ceremony was over!

Edit: It was in another thread. Page 43 of the "Other Sports" thread.

I read through this whole thing. and Anything goes. "Other Sports" -_-. When talk of olympic hockey was in here.