Around the NHL 2023-2024

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Do you ever get tired of being wrong?

You do realize that Hofer and Lindgren have virtually identical numbers this season right? And below, the bolded stats come from them playing for the Blues/Springfield that year - where a 21 year old Hofer had better playoff numbers and more playoff starts than your horse, Chuckie Sideburns.

Lindgren has 1 more year until he's a 31.5 year old UFA. At that point, Hofer will be about to turn 25 and still an RFA, meaning the team has so many more options to manage the cap and maintain player control...

Hofer 30gp 2.65 GAA, 0.914% 10.3 GSAA
23-24 30 NHL gp
22-23 6 NHL gp, 47 AHL gp
21-22 2 NHL gp, 39 AHL gp
21-22 AHL playoffs 10 gp 2.56 GAA, 0.934%

Lindgren 50 gp 2.67 GAA, 0.911% 10.5 GSAA
23-24 50 NHL gp
22-23 31 NHL gp
21-22 5 NHL gp, 34 AHL gp.
21-22 AHL playoffs 8gp 2.79 GAA, 0.914%

They're #15 & #16 in the following advanced stat rankings for this year if you really want to dig into some stats to see the difference between the two. But keeping the guy 7 years younger with team control and upside is a no-brainer compared to the 30 year old that has less pro games in the last 3 years than the 23 year old kid does unless there's a massive performance edge for the older player (Spoiler, there isn't)...

NHL Goalie Advanced Stats 2024-2025

NHL Goalie Analytics, Goals Saved Above Expected

moneypuck.com

Thank you, That is fascinating. Chuckie Sideburns had a fabulous year. Huge part of why Caps made the playoffs. He was nearly as good this year as @TheDizee thinks. So with this career year from Lindgren, the much younger Hofer was nearly equivalent statistically. So yeah, I'll give credit to Chuckie for making himself into a darn good goalie. I'll even give credit to Diz for being early to champion him. But the Blues absolutely made the right choice to not block Hofer.

 

[TheDizee]

Than you, That is fascinating. Chuckie Sideburns had a fabulous year. Huge part of why Caps made the playoffs. He was nearly as good this year as @TheDizee thinks. So with this career year from Lindgren, the much younger Hofer was nearly equivalent statistically. So yeah, I'll give credit to Chuckie for making himself into a darn good goalie. I'll even give credit to Diz for being early to champion him. But the Blues absolutely made the right choice to not block Hofer.

what if chuckie leads them to a cup, will you change your opinion when that happens?

GO CAPS GO!

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

what if chuckie leads them to a cup, will you change your opinion when that happens?

GO CAPS GO!

i will not. i will be impressed and give him props, but that is such an unlikely outcome (because of quality of team around him too) that it happening would be such an outlier that nobody could be expected to expect it.

 

[Brockon]

what if chuckie leads them to a cup, will you change your opinion when that happens?

GO CAPS GO!

I'll be surprised if the Caps manage to lose in 6 games to the NYR - they've managed to play a smothering defensive game pretty inconsistently most of the year and apart from some of the best hockey Carlson has played in his career, they don't really have any elite players at any position.

I expect to see the Caps bounced after a game 5 loss to the Rags.

If Lindgren manages to lead the Caps to the 2nd round, I will conceed he's a late blooming goalie with starter or 1B potential - but short winning a cup with historic goalie stats...

And even with a historic playoff performance from Lindgren this year, I still feel keeping Hofer when looking at age and Lindgren's career numbers at the end of the 21-22 season would have been the right decision.

There's just so many flaws with our current roster, I don't think elite netminding would be enough to make the conference finals let alone win a cup. With a solid 1D in Carlson, arguably the greatest goal scorer in the history of the league and a mediocre team - the Caps are bound for a first round elimination.

 

[Xerloris]

what if chuckie leads them to a cup, will you change your opinion when that happens?

GO CAPS GO!

Come on, the 2019 Blues were a f***ing juggernaut compared to this years Caps team and it still took everything Binnington had to win the cup. Chuckie is not going to magically carry an essential disaster of a team to the cup.

 

[TheDizee]

Come on, the 2019 Blues were a f***ing juggernaut compared to this years Caps team and it still took everything Binnington had to win the cup. Chuckie is not going to magically carry an essential disaster of a team to the cup.

look at the 2020 habs or 2003 ducks, hot goalies can carry teams.

 

[stl76]

Still a few minutes left in the leafs vs lightning game, but it doesn't look like Matthews is going to get number 70. Kind of bummed TBH, would have been cool to see!

 

[542365]

Still a few minutes left in the leafs vs lightning game, but it doesn't look like Matthews is going to get number 70. Kind of bummed TBH, would have been cool to see!

Is that why the Leafs pulled their goalie down 3? I didn’t really understand. They’re locked into their playoff seed. Why did they try so desperately to tie it?

 

[Xerloris]

Is that why the Leafs pulled their goalie down 3? I didn’t really understand. They’re locked into their playoff seed. Why did they try so desperately to tie it?

All this hype and the loser couldn't even get 1 goal? god.

 

[Spear]

All this hype and the loser couldn't even get 1 goal? god.

He's in full playoff mode already!

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

what if chuckie leads them to a cup, will you change your opinion when that happens?

GO CAPS GO!

How about if they can win a game? They look like a team about to get clocked in the first round. I hope its competitive, but don't expect it.

 

[joe galiba]

Coyotes final home game… I bet they had a packed house

 

[STL fan in MN]

Coyotes final home game… I bet they had a packed house

This post prompted me to flip to Hulu and watch a few min of that game. Arizona scored and I was reminded of yet another way that franchise is an absolute embarrassment of a dumpster fire. The howls they use in their goal song? It’s a wolf. Definitely not a coyote. I mean, I get why as a wolf howl sounds pretty fierce while a coyote howl sounds like an old woman being stabbed in a dark alley but there’s just so much about that franchise that’s been pure cringe.

Farewell Yotes.

 

[TheDizee]

LETS GO CHUCKIE!

f*** THE RANGERS UP!

 

[mk80]

This post prompted me to flip to Hulu and watch a few min of that game. Arizona scored and I was reminded of yet another way that franchise is an absolute embarrassment of a dumpster fire. The howls they use in their goal song? It’s a wolf. Definitely not a coyote. I mean, I get why as a wolf howl sounds pretty fierce while a coyote howl sounds like an old woman being stabbed in a dark alley but there’s just so much about that franchise that’s been pure cringe.

Farewell Yotes.

They didn't even take the retirement banner for Shane Doan when they left Glendale to move to Mullett... a fan saved it from being thrown in the trash. Just goes to show how little care their current ownership (and really ones in the past) have had about things.

 

[Brockon]

look at the 2020 habs or 2003 ducks, hot goalies can carry teams.

Seriously, do you think before you answer?

Carey Price was considered to be one of the best goalies to play in the post lockout era... In fact, one of the reason the bubble play ins became a best of 5 rather than a best of 3 is several voices weighed in with concerns Price would steal 2 games (so instead, he stole 3)...despite Price having a sub par season, he still had the respect of many players voting in the NHLPA polls. Link below showing an Elliot Friedman quote backing up the assertion about the play-in formating.

As for Giguere in 2003, you're talking about a 25/26 year old goalie, picked 13oa who had been Anaheim's starter for multiple seasons (for the team that finished 9/30 in 2002-03). He got Vezina votes (2nd + 3rd place votes) and finished 14th in GAA (2.30), 10th in SV% (0.920), 6th in wins and 9th in starts... In his 3rd season where he was 25 until the 3rd round when he turned 26. To say that he "got hot" discredits arguably the 3rd best season of his 16 year NHL career.

Lindgren is an undrafted journeyman who put in the time to get an opportunity to play in the NHL, which itself is worthy of respect. But, he's not in HOF discussion territory and your infatuation with him has inflated your misguided opinion - his name doesn't belong in the same breath as Price or Giguere. I don't understand how you can attempt to do so honestly...

Report: Players not having best-of-3 series for fear of playing Carey Price, Patrick Kane

Players didn’t want to face Kane or Price in a 3-game series, calling it unfair after both the Blackhawks and Canadiens were well outside the playoff picture.

dknetwork.draftkings.com

 

[STL fan in MN]

They didn't even take the retirement banner for Shane Doan when they left Glendale to move to Mullett... a fan saved it from being thrown in the trash. Just goes to show how little care their current ownership (and really ones in the past) have had about things.

I…don’t even know what to say to that. Unbelievable…yet, also totally believable.

 

[mk80]

I…don’t even know what to say to that. Unbelievable…yet, also totally believable.

Exactly. That alone is the reason why I doubt the whole concept of Mereullo having a 5 five year window to resurrect the Coyotes franchise if he gets an arena built.

 

[TheDizee]

Be sure to give your support to cap fans and chuckie for all you chuckie sideburn fans. The rest of the playoffs (outside of watching TOR & VAN choke/lose will be boring tbh) for me.

Series Discussion: - M1: New York Rangers, a subsidiary of Tom Wilson Real Estate, Inc vs WC2: Perpetrators of Horrifying Acts of Violence

Good news, I should be recovered from my anticipated hangover by 3pm. :thumbu:

forums.hfboards.com

 

[Stealth JD]

Pretty funny how the Pens, Caps & Blues are all pretty much on even footing at this point. Three recent-ish Cup winners clawing and fighting to remain relevant. Will be interesting to see which club emerges on the other side of a needed rebuild as a contender. I’d take the Blues future over either of those veteran clubs…but Pittsburgh is due a James Hagen (or better ) type of prospect to replace the outgoing generational talent they’ve been blessed with since the early 80’s.

 

[The Note]

Pretty funny how the Pens, Caps & Blues are all pretty much on even footing at this point. Three recent-ish Cup winners clawing and fighting to remain relevant. Will be interesting to see which club emerges on the other side of a needed rebuild as a contender. I’d take the Blues future over either of those veteran clubs…but Pittsburgh is due a James Hagen (or better ) type of prospect to replace the outgoing generational talent they’ve been blessed with since the early 80’s.

Pittsburgh is in the worst spot of the 3 pretty comfortably. They’re without a first this year unless Carolina makes the SCF but have 2 2nds. They also don’t have a 3rd or 5th and are without a second next year. That’s a lot of draft capital to be down when your 4 best players are 33+. The Blues may be reimagining their recalibration or whatever they want to call it but they’ve at least got some draft capital and prospects in the pipeline. Washington is more similar to the Blues but I think they’ll try even harder just to tread water in Ovi’s pursuit of Gretzky’s record. Of course, one bad season from Pittsburgh will probably net them a generational talent while the Blues get good-not-great players out of this all, so who knows.

 

[Xerloris]

Pens will get the first generational player available after Crosby retires or right before he does.
If McDavid walks the Oilers will get the next generational player.

That's how this works isn't it?

 

[Brian39]

Pittsburgh is in the worst spot of the 3 pretty comfortably. They’re without a first this year unless Carolina makes the SCF but have 2 2nds. They also don’t have a 3rd or 5th and are without a second next year. That’s a lot of draft capital to be down when your 4 best players are 33+. The Blues may be reimagining their recalibration or whatever they want to call it but they’ve at least got some draft capital and prospects in the pipeline. Washington is more similar to the Blues but I think they’ll try even harder just to tread water in Ovi’s pursuit of Gretzky’s record. Of course, one bad season from Pittsburgh will probably net them a generational talent while the Blues get good-not-great players out of this all, so who knows.

I think we are further along down the path of trying to re-open a Cup window, but I think it could absolutely be more fun to be a Caps/Pens fan for the next 1-2 years. And beyond that, I'm not sure that I can say that the end of our path in re-opening a window is a lock to be more successful.

And even though these teams are further away from completing a journey back to re-opening a Cup window, they both still get to watch their franchise-defining generational players put the finishing touches on their resumes as all-time top 5 players in the game.

Ovi has a real chance to catch Gretzky's once-though unbreakable goals record.

Sid has a real chance of catching Mario and Yzerman in career points in 2025/26. That would make him 7th all-time and give him the record for most-points scored for a single NHL franchise.

These would both be unbelievable accomplishments given the levels of scoring in the league for the vast majority of their careers and the amount of player movement in modern-day sports. Both guys are still worth the price of admission. There is real value for those fans to keep having a chance to watch those 2 all-time greats chase history even if it delays the 'next' window. While it will delay the end date, it also might lead to a bottom-out for top draft picks that is much easier to swallow than it usually is for a fanbase and the bottom line.

 

[BrokenFace]

Pens will get the first generational player available after Crosby retires or right before he does.
If McDavid walks the Oilers will get the next generational player.

That's how this works isn't it?

You forgot that Ottawa will have to forfeit the first that would have landed then a generational talent because they abused LTIR going into the playoffs

 

[The Note]

I think we are further along down the path of trying to re-open a Cup window, but I think it could absolutely be more fun to be a Caps/Pens fan for the next 1-2 years. And beyond that, I'm not sure that I can say that the end of our path in re-opening a window is a lock to be more successful.

And even though these teams are further away from completing a journey back to re-opening a Cup window, they both still get to watch their franchise-defining generational players put the finishing touches on their resumes as all-time top 5 players in the game.

Ovi has a real chance to catch Gretzky's once-though unbreakable goals record.

Sid has a real chance of catching Mario and Yzerman in career points in 2025/26. That would make him 7th all-time and give him the record for most-points scored for a single NHL franchise.

These would both be unbelievable accomplishments given the levels of scoring in the league for the vast majority of their careers and the amount of player movement in modern-day sports. Both guys are still worth the price of admission. There is real value for those fans to keep having a chance to watch those 2 all-time greats chase history even if it delays the 'next' window. While it will delay the end date, it also might lead to a bottom-out for top draft picks that is much easier to swallow than it usually is for a fanbase and the bottom line.

I have no doubt those two fanbases will have a more enjoyable time watching franchise icons chase all-time records in their twilight years as opposed to us Blues fans who will have teams full of Krugs, Kapanens and Hayeses over the next couple years. The Caps should be singleminded in trying to get Ovi the record. The Pens should squeeze as much as they possibly can out of Crosby, Malkin and Letang. I was just making the point that - at least ostensibly- the Blues should bottom out and be on the ascent sooner than those two teams.