Around the NHL 2023-24 - offseason part II

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

that is...not re-assuring lol yikes

https://x.com/i/web/status/1836440786843636060

 

[Better Call Sal]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1836441698295025785

Now that is hilarious, lol.

 

[NJDevs26]

The reporting must be pretty on the nose if he doth protest that much

 

[MadDevil]

Guess they're going to find out just how good their system is for goalies when Korpisalo is their starter to begin the season.

 

[Bleedred]

There was some goalie guru last year saying that Korpisalo is really good, his hips were just a problem and since he got that surgery done in the 2022 offseason he's no longer hurting and is now fixed. And that his poor play for the majority of his career prior to 2022-2023 was because he was in pain because his hip was messed up for years. And that his really good 2022-2023 season was proof of that.

 

[My3Sons]

There was some goalie guru last year saying that Korpisalo is really good, his hips were just a problem and since he got that surgery done in the 2022 offseason he's no longer hurting and is now fixed. And that his poor play for the majority of his career prior to 2022-2023 was because he was in pain because his hip was messed up for years. And that his really good 2022-2023 season was proof of that.

OK, don't break your arm patting yourself on the back calling yourself a "goalie guru"

 

[BostonDevil]

The reporting must be pretty on the nose if he doth protest that much

The disaster that he created with the goaltending situation is something I couldn't have even dreamed up!

 

[Bleedred]

Sweeney has been around so long up there and they've always been good, but haven't really done much other than one cup finals appearance and not making it past the second round any other year, that I could see just one playoff miss or even another first round exit being the end up him as GM up there.

I remember thinking that last week. Chiarelli was fired just 4 years after the cup win and 2 years after a finals appearance. One playoff miss took him out. And his time there wasn't quite the disaster that it was in Edmonton.

 

[Satans Hockey]

I really don't think we need more teams and pretty ridiculous Atlanta is getting a 3rd chance. It will never, ever happen but I'd rather promotion/regulation than continued expansion but again, never, ever gonna happen.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

The only expansion plan that excites me would be European expansion. Would be a big swing, and is risky but would be genuinely forward thinking.

Expanding to new North American cities is just about free money for the owners and doesn't interest me in the least.

 

[Satans Hockey]

The only expansion plan that excites me would be European expansion. Would be a big swing, and is risky but would be genuinely forward thinking.

Expanding to new North American cities is just about free money for the owners and doesn't interest me in the least.

I'd actually be even more against European expansion. Don't see the union and teams ever wanting to make travel a routine like that too, would be especially bad for the playoffs. Hell they were complaining about Edmonton to Florida last year as it is in the finals. Something like Los Angeles to Stockholm is like 13 hours, would be horrible for the playoff schedule.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

I'd actually be even more against European expansion. Don't see the union and teams ever wanting to make travel a routine like that too, would be especially bad for the playoffs. Hell they were complaining about Edmonton to Florida last year as it is in the finals. Something like Los Angeles to Stockholm is like 13 hours, would be horrible for the playoff schedule.

It would probably require special considerations (e.g. adding at least 4 teams, more intradivisional games for the European teams, European road trips for only a subset of North American teams, Two teams max making playoffs out of Europe, etc) but would be exciting if they figured out logistics to make it feasible.

 

[Darkauron]

Yeah no thanks to European Expansion ever. Id rather expand to like Mexico city ect

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

Ugh, Devils will have even less of a chance of winning the cup. I guess it’s inevitable with the being such a gate-driven league that’s being left behind by the skyrocketing salaries in the other big sports (including soccer in Europe).

 

[JrFischer54]

I really don't think we need more teams and pretty ridiculous Atlanta is getting a 3rd chance. It will never, ever happen but I'd rather promotion/regulation than continued expansion but again, never, ever gonna happen.

absolutely comical the least popular out of mlb/nba/nfl but yet will have by far the most teams super comical that atlanta is getting another look i dont care who the owner was last time and what excuse was made. to give them a 3rd try before you look at other locations esp canadian is amazing.

 

[JrFischer54]

The only expansion plan that excites me would be European expansion. Would be a big swing, and is risky but would be genuinely forward thinking.

Expanding to new North American cities is just about free money for the owners and doesn't interest me in the least.

i wouldn't call it expansion but being there are a lot of competitive leagues in euro they could do a champions league (soccer) type tournament with top x amount of teams go play one another. again there is zero reason for them to do this and it will never happen because americans dont really care about that stuff (rightfully so).

with more teams coming i would certainly expect the gimmicky stuff to ramp up too so be ready for that. whats that mean? i could see an in season tournament happening and play in wildcard playoff series will absolutely be happening esp once bettman retires which honestly i can see happening once the new teams come in and be like his "final act". or all the hate bettman gets he seems to be the one hold out on expanding the playoffs once hes gone that will open them up

 

[MB3]

absolutely comical the least popular out of mlb/nba/nfl but yet will have by far the most teams super comical that atlanta is getting another look i dont care who the owner was last time and what excuse was made. to give them a 3rd try before you look at other locations esp canadian is amazing.

Especially Canada? Lmao what?! The non-Torontos/Montreals of the world already have to scratch and claw to try to get players to play there. Not to mention the fact that hockey viewership in Canada is pretty much maxed out anyway; adding a new team there doesn't add any fans, it just shifts them around.

I agree that Atlanta is silly, but Canada would be outright ridiculous.

 

[JrFischer54]

Especially Canada? Lmao what?! The non-Torontos/Montreals of the world already have to scratch and claw to try to get players to play there. Not to mention the fact that hockey viewership in Canada is pretty much maxed out anyway; adding a new team there doesn't add any fans, it just shifts them around.

I agree that Atlanta is silly, but Canada would be outright ridiculous.

Sure so let’s move into more soft markets in America because it has big tv market share Nevermind that they might not actually work out support wise. Just relocate them

 

[My3Sons]

Sure so let’s move into more soft markets in America because it has big tv market share Nevermind that they might not actually work out support wise. Just relocate them

Presumably they do some polling, focus groups, and market studies to see if there is interest? Atlanta has some data they can look at. Houston would seem to be a total unknown. If the Rockets owner wants the team to succeed it shouldn't be that hard to sell it to the locals. He owns the arena so as long as he promotes the team reasonably well and brands it appropriately it should catch on.

 

[JrFischer54]

Presumably they do some polling, focus groups, and market studies to see if there is interest? Atlanta has some data they can look at. Houston would seem to be a total unknown. If the Rockets owner wants the team to succeed it shouldn't be that hard to sell it to the locals. He owns the arena so as long as he promotes the team reasonably well and brands it appropriately it should catch on.

i think weeksy mentions on twitter the goal would be to get to 36! so after houston/atl where are the other two going to be? kc would be my first guess and the next arizona? this isn't just a question to you just happened to have hit reply.

 

[My3Sons]

i think weeksy mentions on twitter the goal would be to get to 36! so after houston/atl where are the other two going to be? kc would be my first guess and the next arizona? this isn't just a question to you just happened to have hit reply.

Honestly the league should do any expansion until they see how Utah and Vegas fare after a few mediocre seasons. If AZ had been well funded and competently run their story might have been different. In my view you have to see what the market does after a few non playoff seasons.

 

[NJDevs26]

So 36 teams = four nine-team divisions? Everyone plays each other four times in the division (32 games) and twice outside of the division (54 games)...how bland. Yes I know that adds up to 86, so we might play three division games with some teams lol

 

[JrFischer54]

that 36th team is going to be drafting from the scraps of the scrap pile thats for sure they should give the franchise a discount on the expansion fee.

So 36 teams = four nine-team divisions? Everyone plays each other four times in the division (32 games) and twice outside of the division (54 games)...how bland. Yes I know that adds up to 86, so we might play three division games with some teams lol

one positive thing is (at least for me) is maybe they ditch inter conference play. OR they keep it and maybe they combine conferences for playoffs with however many get in at that point?

 

[NJDevs26]

They'll never ditch interconference play, too many teams would complain about 'not having McDavid, Crosby, etc' to sell out their building at least once a year.

 

[Ripshot 43]

If there is expansion anytime soon, we would lose a good player or 2.