Around the NHL 2020-2021 | Offseason Edition

[MBH]

"from NHL insider Elliotte Friedman, the NHL is mandating changes to all 31 of its arenas for the remainder of the 2021 season. Those changes, according to Friedman, are:

• The most noticeable to everyone watching will be the removal of all glass behind team benches. Clearly, the league is worried about air flow in that area, where contact is closest and lengthiest during games. The NHL isn’t waiting on that directive, asking it to be done in time for Thursday’s games.
• The NHL indicated it is considering asking teams to deploy portable air cleaners behind the benches, “in order to improve indoor air quality and mitigate airborne viral transmission.” These cleaners would use HEPA filters, which Consumers Reports magazine states “results in reductions of 50 per cent or higher in particulate matter.”
• Players and coaches are no longer permitted to arrive at the arena more than one hour and 45 minutes before puck drop. (The exception is for receiving necessary treatment of injuries.) All meetings — whether game day or not — should be virtually conducted.
• Teams are being asked to utilize (or create) additional locker room space for themselves and their opponents, with the league looking to have at least six feet between players at each of their stalls. Teams have one week to communicate their plans for accomplishing this. (If necessary, portable stalls can be provided to teams.)"

Does the NHL have any knowledge of where the spread is taking pace? Is it on ice? In the hotels? in the gyms?

 

[Heaton]

The Oilers are so bad.
Tippet is one of those coaches whose day has passed, I think.

I can definitely see Mike Babcock in Edmonton or Buffalo (if they falter) before this season ends.

I really feel like the Oilers biggest issue is their goaltending. It's kind of like Toronto, but Andersen has been way better over his career.

 

[MBH]

I really feel like the Oilers biggest issue is their goaltending. It's kind of like Toronto, but Andersen has been way better over his career.

Yeah, Koskinen has sucked this year.
He was Bernier level last year. Tippett went with Smith to start the playoffs and that cost the Oilers, because he was old and busted, and they weren't good enough to just give away a game.

But I watched that game last night, and watched almost all their games last year that AA played in.
Their defense sucks.
Not their defensive personnel, but their team defense.
Last night, you could pin a couple goals on Koskinen, but he also made several great saves on odd-man rushes.
Something about that team isn't built right and doesn't feel right.

 

[Heaton]

Yeah, Koskinen has sucked this year.
He was Bernier level last year. Tippett went with Smith to start the playoffs and that cost the Oilers, because he was old and busted, and they weren't good enough to just give away a game.

But I watched that game last night, and watched almost all their games last year that AA played in.
Their defense sucks.
Not their defensive personnel, but their team defense.
Last night, you could pin a couple goals on Koskinen, but he also made several great saves on odd-man rushes.
Something about that team isn't built right and doesn't feel right.

And unfortunately for them, they turned to Ken Holland who isn't the right guy to build a team in a cap era.

 

[FabricDetails]

How about that silliness yesterday in the Carolina versus Columbus game?

They misjudge the review of an offsides call, take the penalty back but don't take away the goal. How confusing.

 

[RayMoonDoh]

How about that silliness yesterday in the Carolina versus Columbus game?

They misjudge the review of an offsides call, take the penalty back but don't take away the goal. How confusing.

NHL was like Vinnie Trochek is a treasure for fantasy owners* and we can’t take it away from him.

*me

 

[Ricelund]

Laine already being benched in Columbus:

 

[jaster]

lol

Fire Torts! Coaches shouldn't be allowed to mistreat highly skilled players like that,

/s

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

lol

Fire Torts! Coaches shouldn't be allowed to mistreat highly skilled players like that,

/s

In the not too distant future, hurting someone's feelings will be a crime. Wish I were kidding. Also, I used "\s" for the 1st time (as if my sarcasm wasn't enough) & felt so hip, liberated & connected to the Youts...so I looked it up to be sure & sure enough it's "/s". Next up spotify & coding.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

How about that silliness yesterday in the Carolina versus Columbus game?

They misjudge the review of an offsides call, take the penalty back but don't take away the goal. How confusing.

They're smokin' the devil's cactus in T'ranna

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Laine already being benched in Columbus:

 

[jaster]

In the not too distant future, hurting someone's feelings will be a crime. Wish I were kidding. Also, I used "\s" for the 1st time (as if my sarcasm wasn't enough) & felt so hip, liberated & connected to the Youts...so I looked it up to be sure & sure enough it's "/s". Next up spotify & coding.

You're on your way!

 

[FabricDetails]

Apparently Laine wasn't the only one who got benched on the Columbus team?

 

[Bench]

Apparently Laine wasn't the only one who got benched on the Columbus team?

Texier and to a lesser extent Bjorkstrand have both been in the doghouse, too. One of the defenders too but I'm too lazy to look up who.

The only guy he's legitimately in love with now is Roslovic.

 

[lhsgolf19]

As much as I can’t stand Blashill, I’d rather have him than Torts



Dudes a Nut

 

[raymond23]

Expecting a lot out of your players is one thing but this benching stuff just does not seem like the best solution to the problem.

I'm a fan of Torts but this is just ridiculous.

 

[FabricDetails]

As much as I can’t stand Blashill, I’d rather have him than Torts



Dudes a Nut

 

[TCNorthstars]

Expecting a lot out of your players is one thing but this benching stuff just does not seem like the best solution to the problem.

I'm a fan of Torts but this is just ridiculous.

Why not? It is a pretty simple concept. Work hard and play the right way and you get in the game. Be a lazy bum and you get to sit down like most lazy bums do. Did you see the play that got Laine benched? Brutal brutal effort.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/brian-burke-ron-hextall-penguins-nhl-1.5907341

Hired Burke & Hextall to try & win another Cup. Great, I wanna see PITTstain trade their next 4 1st&2nd rounders ++ in an All-in attempt that fails miserably.

 

[Bench]

Why not? It is a pretty simple concept. Work hard and play the right way and you get in the game. Be a lazy bum and you get to sit down like most lazy bums do. Did you see the play that got Laine benched? Brutal brutal effort.

Simple concept? Yes.

But that's literally been his answer for everything. He's the boy who cried wolf but instead it's effort. He constantly whines about his players' efforts every team he goes to and then they finally boot his ass and he finds a new group to tell how lazy they are. Repeat forever.

Which is more likely:
- That Columbus is full of low effort guys that need constant benching?
-Or that the guy that has been cycling through the league, has effort issues with every team he coaches, and is simply coming to the end of his useful time with his current team?

Laine had defensive issues. Duh. It's why he's now in Columbus, Torts. But this stuff was going on well before Laine and now the rest of the team looks fed up. Just like Tampa. And Vancouver. And New York. I've seen this before.

There was a time I would have been right there with you and thought Torts was well within his right, but follow this guy through several more teams it's the same busted ass record over and over.

 

[Winger98]

Why not? It is a pretty simple concept. Work hard and play the right way and you get in the game. Be a lazy bum and you get to sit down like most lazy bums do. Did you see the play that got Laine benched? Brutal brutal effort.

It depends on the player. I think benching a guy should usually be a last resort type of thing. Maybe Torts is trying to send a message to a new guy who isn't entirely buying in? I don't know, but it feels like Torts is grasping at straws right now.

edit: bench said it better. Kids really threw off my ability to reply in a timely manner.

 

[MBH]

I think Torts is kind of like Babcock. Middle aged man, won a cup, huge ego, gets drunk on his own myths and doubles down on it...
At one point, I was convinced Babcock was trying to instigate Holland to fire him... constantly benching and pressboxing Holland's acquisitions.
(See Blash, without that ego, plays all Yzerman's acquisition. Brome. Gagner. Erne. Perlini. Etc etc.)
This benching of Laine - after all the bullshit with PL Dubois and the hype around the trade - seems 1 part Torts being egotistical alpha male and 1 part f*** YOU to Jarmo.

 

[MBH]

Janmark now has 5 goals for Chicago.
So does Pius Suter
Gotta give Chicago's Euro scouts some credit for some of their finds since Panarin.

 

[MBH]

2 more assists for Andrew Copp, Ann Arbor kid on Winnipeg. 10 points in 11 games.

 

[Ghost of Ethan Hunt]

Janmark now has 5 goals for Chicago.
So does Pius Suter
Gotta give Chicago's Euro scouts some credit for some of their finds since Panarin.

I'm okay with CHI being close to a bubble team for a few seasons, it'll make their eventual real rebuild (if/when they trade Kane/Toews) last even longer.

Agreed on their scouting in general...been saying that since DeBrincat.
Kubalik, Suter, Kurashev, Lankinen!