Around the NHL — Episode XLXVII

[HSF]

Implying that there's some kind of big win for Vegas to pay Lehner under the table instead of through LTIR is nonsense considering there's not much of an impact to their cap situation if he's not able to play.



Blows my mind that Sweeney chose to trade Ullmark for peanuts if there were issues like this with Swayman and the team bubbling under the surface.

Boston was afraid that Ullmark would put Ottawa on his NTC come July 1st or something. I guess they couldn't find any decent deals for him.

I still think all this will be blown over in a week and he will sign

 

[Micklebot]

So, Geekie gets a suspension for starting a fight after a line change and Xherji gets a fine for chasing a guy down and punching him in the back of the head?

Okay. Game on Saturday night, I guess.

Ya, idk how you justify that, like, if Geekie did a lap first it would have been no problem? I get there's a rule against it, but what Xhekaj did to pare was so much worse

 

[Senscore]

Boston was afraid that Ullmark would put Ottawa on his NTC come July 1st or something. I guess they couldn't find any decent deals for him.

I still think all this will be blown over in a week and he will sign

Nothing fixes relationship problems like money.

 

[Blotto71]

Ya, idk how you justify that, like, if Geekie did a lap first it would have been no problem? I get there's a rule against it, but what Xhekaj did to pare was so much worse

Hopefully the next guy that wants to do what Geekie did does do a lap! Full speed, no regard for the play, then jumps the guy! I don't condone violence but that would be entertaining.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

So, Geekie gets a suspension for starting a fight after a line change and Xherji gets a fine for chasing a guy down and punching him in the back of the head?

Okay. Game on Saturday night, I guess.

Suspensions in the NHL have to be the most confusing and unpredictable of all the pro leagues. Amazing how much they seem to botch it. It's like there's just no consistency whatsoever.

 

[Icelevel]

It’s just preseason but watching Colorado Vegas now, they both look so much better than us so far. Structure and skill. Far ahead of us. And that’s the reality.

 

[BankStreetParade]

Suspensions in the NHL have to be the most confusing and unpredictable of all the pro leagues. Amazing how much they seem to botch it. It's like there's just no consistency whatsoever.

Ask yourself how many suspensions there are in all of the other pro leagues combined. The NHL is on an island when it comes to suspensions.

 

[Big Muddy]

It’s just preseason but watching Colorado Vegas now, they both look so much better than us so far. Structure and skill. Far ahead of us. And that’s the reality.

New Jersey vs Flyers was pretty good too, but ya, have that Avs/VGK game on now as well.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

It's likely his contract was voided and he agreed not to grieve it for a pay-out of some fraction of the remaining contract amount.

It would still be on the cap if that were the case. That is what happened with Mike Richards.

It is possible that the settlement isn't paid out for a very long time. For example, if the settlement is paid out between 2030-2040, any dead cap in relation to that wouldn't be on the books until that time. If you look at the Michael Richards settlement, it's pretty clear that termination fees are calculated using the exact amount charged each year, not an AAV. So if Lehner for example agreed to 250k for 20 years between 2030-2050, the dead cap wouldn't be on the books until 2030.

In which case, it would make me wonder if there was any backroom negotiating between Lehner's agent and the team prior to Lehner not showing up. This is assuming deferring the payments would prevent or dissuade Lehner's creditors from going after the money. Additionally, someone who has handled their finances in the way Lehner allegedly has is probably better off getting a yearly salary (along with his NHLPA Pension) spread over a long period of time instead of getting 5M or whatever he was owed up front.

I get that people are tired of Vegas managing their cap so creatively, but if the above is anywhere close to what happened, it's more Vegas taking advantage of a perfect storm. Rarely will there be a case where a player might benefit from forgoing 5M now to take a settlement in the future.

Ultimately, there is no way that Lehner is getting paid by Vegas, and it's not somehow on the cap. So my guess is that it is on the cap, just not until some obscene time like 2030, 2040, or 2050.

So, Geekie gets a suspension for starting a fight after a line change and Xherji gets a fine for chasing a guy down and punching him in the back of the head?

Okay. Game on Saturday night, I guess.

It's a specific rule that exists as a deterrent to prevent bench clearing brawls. It is a cut and dry punishment that is very steep, because the NHL wants to dissuade players from starting those types of brawls.

David Clarkson got hit with one in his first season in Toronto. I have no idea why I was watching that game, but it's one of those moments where I can remember where I was. I also have no idea why I can remember where I was when I watched it, but that's life.

 

[StutzlingAway]

I don't see Boston getting much worse. They play a simple game, their first line is great. They have a decent middle six. I'm not sure about their fourth line but it has Kastelic! Their defence is huge and be a tough out for teams in a nightly basis. Swayman still is the X factor because I don't believe in Korpisalo at all, he is not consistent enough. Let's see what haooens.

 

[2CHAINZ]

Nothing fixes relationship problems like money.

And kids!

 

[Micklebot]

Ask yourself how many suspensions there are in all of the other pro leagues combined. The NHL is on an island when it comes to suspensions.

I feel like NHL has more incidents though, combined with a format where a 1 game suspension is a reasonable punishment.

In football, a 1 game suspension is equivalent to 5 in the NHL,
In Baseball, there isn't a lot of situations worthy of suspensions, PED use, rarely you get fights, and the odd unsportsmanlike situation.
Basketball suspends guys for instigating altercations on court, seems the NHL gives guys a 5 min timeout in the corner to both participants for the same.

The NHL and hockey in general has a culture that allows stuff that just doesn't happen to the same degree in other sports. Every other sport would have suspended WIFI for what he did to Pare.

 

[Blotto71]

It's a specific rule that exists as a deterrent to prevent bench clearing brawls. It is a cut and dry punishment that is very steep, because the NHL wants to dissuade players from starting those types of brawls.

David Clarkson got hit with one in his first season in Toronto. I have no idea why I was watching that game, but it's one of those moments where I can remember where I was. I also have no idea why I can remember where I was when I watched it, but that's life.

I understand the rule, and don't have an issue with it, per say. I was just illustrating the dichotomy of the two situations. A line change where a player is targeted for a fight versus a player being chased down and assaulted. The DPS got it wrong, I feel, when it fined Xherkja for actions that were just as egregious as Geekie's.

 

[Speatleysson]

I understand the rule, and don't have an issue with it, per say. I was just illustrating the dichotomy of the two situations. A line change where a player is targeted for a fight versus a player being chased down and assaulted. The DPS got it wrong, I feel, when it fined Xherkja for actions that were just as egregious as Geekie's.

I do agree with you, but, a small suspension isn't going to fix the Xhekaj problem. In fact, I'm glad he's not suspended so that he'll be on the ice. He needs another type of fixing if you know what I mean.. the permanent kind.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Ask yourself how many suspensions there are in all of the other pro leagues combined. The NHL is on an island when it comes to suspensions.

That may be a fair point, but more so than the volume of them, I just find them wildly inconsistent. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm often completely shocked by how little or how much they punish and disagree with their decisions. Too much is based on injury or not as well, imo. They should be punishing the choice of actions more imo.

Although, I thought they did well with the Reilly suspension last year. I thought for sure they'd give him a fine and carry on. I'm not impressed with Zhekaj not even getting a hearing for the hit the other day.

 

[bicboi64]

I do agree with you, but, a small suspension isn't going to fix the Xhekaj problem. In fact, I'm glad he's not suspended so that he'll be on the ice. He needs another type of fixing if you know what I mean.. the permanent kind.

I understand the sentiment, but I'd rather the league just hammer down with large suspensions for doing dumb shit like fighting in the preseason. I dont want anyone on our roster to be involved if someone decides to Bertuzzi Xhekaj, and I hope that doesn't happen to Xhekaj either

 

[Hale The Villain]

Joseph with a rocket last night:



And Korpisalo with a back breaker:

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Joseph with a rocket last night:



And Korpisalo with a back breaker:

Korpisalo with a backbreaker... what a shocker.

 

[SpezDispenser]

Joseph with a rocket last night:



And Korpisalo with a back breaker:

While I think it's cute that people think he can actually still tend goal, I don't really know if that was a bad goal. Pretty darn nice tip.

 

[bicboi64]

That Joseph-Schenn-Kapanen line has a lot of potential. So much speed on the wing and then a reliable safe centre like Schenn

 

[Micklebot]

And Korpisalo with a back breaker:

Swayman has increased his demands... want's 9.5 now.

 

[JD1]

Joseph with a rocket last night:



And Korpisalo with a back breaker:

Boston has had a decade and a half of nothing but high end goaltending. The bruins faithful are going to hate Korpisalo.

 

[BonHoonLayneCornell]

Boston has had a decade and a half of nothing but high end goaltending. The bruins faithful are going to hate Korpisalo.

I've perused some commentary and a lot of Boston fans seem to think they created the good goaltenders through their teams defensive play and that Korpisalo is gonna slide right in and play just as well as guys like Rask, Ullmark & Swayman. Not sure that's gonna work out for them.

 

[BondraTime]

That Devils team is going to be scary good.

When they get Pesce and Hughes back, their D is absoutely stacked.

Dillion-Hamilton
Huges-Pesce
Siegenthaler-Nemec
Kovacevic

That's an absurdly good D core

 

[Micklebot]

I've perused some commentary and a lot of Boston fans seem to think they created the good goaltenders through their teams defensive play and that Korpisalo is gonna slide right in and play just as well as guys like Rask, Ullmark & Swayman. Not sure that's gonna work out for them.

Tim Thomas - top 5 sv% (.920) during his tenure from 05-06 to 2013-14
Tuuka Rask - top 7 sv% (.918) from 2014-15 to 2020-21
Ullmark - 1st in sv% (.924) from 2021-22 to 2023-24
Korpisalo??? - 2024-25


Two decades of elite goaltending followed by Korpisalo? They can't sign Swayman fast enough.