Around the NHL 2023-24 - Offseason

[Saugus]

This is one of the most unflattering images of a person used for a press release I've ever seen. It flies in the face of the basics of portrait photography.

Seriously. Dude could not look creepier if he was about to get busted by a vice squad sting operation.

 

[Rhodes 81]

Don Waddell has now become the most random 3 different team GM I can ever remember.

Most guys don't get to be GM or even president/head of of hockey ops for 3 different teams. Lou has been, Rutherford has been (though only 2 times as the actual GM) and Brian Burke has been either a GM or president of hockey ops for I think 6 different teams? With 4 as the GM.

I think Bryan Murray was GM for 4 different teams over a 25-30 year span. There's probably a few more from before my time.

Most guys don't get a third chance. Ray Shero hasn't.

Don Waddell is a much more random name than Lou, Jim Rutherford, Burke or Murray. I think all of those guys other than Murray have won the cup with at least one of those teams. Rutherford has with 2.

Did Waddell ever win the cup as a member of some other team's front office? I'm not sure about that.

Just checked - He has. He was the assistant general manager of the Red Wings when they won the cup in 97-98. I guess he got hired by Atlanta after that. For some reason I thought I remembered him working for Chicago in between Atlanta and Carolina, but all I see is Pittsburgh for like 2 years as a scout.

I think you're thinking of Rick Dudley, who left Chicago as the AGM to be the GM of Atlanta for their last couple of years when Waddell got promoted(!), then went to Ottawa after they left.

I think Waddell's best characteristic has been being willing to work for shitty bosses. He must have some legitimate skills in the business-ops portions of these president/GM roles as well, and Carolina made him look competent enough at hockey ops.

 

[MadDevil]

Scott Arniel and now Dan Bylsma...who turned back the clock a decade?

 

[Bleedred]

Disco Dan now looks way too much like a 1970s era (or late 1960s) politician or a politician's lawyer.

He looks like one of those guys that sat in on the Watergate trial or Nixon's PR guy or something.

 

[crashline]

Ugh.

 

[Guadana]

New deal of Koneckny for 8 years for 8-8.5 mil per year incoming.

I remind you, we overpaid Timo.

 

[SJinNewJersey]

Is there anyone who can do me a solid and please post the Deserve to win-o-meter for the all 4 of the Rags - Panthers games?

 

[njdevils1982]

Is there anyone who can do me a solid and please post the Deserve to win-o-meter for the all 4 of the Rags - Panthers games?

my meter has them both losing but its not based in reality.

 

[tailfins]

Mitch Korn back to Nashville.

Mitch Korn reunites with Barry Trotz for second stint in Nashville

Legenday goaltending coach, Mitch Korn, has left the New York Islanders and found his way back to longtime friend and partner, Barry…

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

Devils could have used him.

Meanwhile, Terreri gets a bump up on Long Island, and the Islanders bring in Sorokin's old goaltending coach from the KHL.

Islanders rework goaltending staff ahead of critical offseason for Ilya Sorokin

It did not take the Islanders long to reshuffle their goaltending staff.

nypost.com

 

[My3Sons]

Mitch Korn back to Nashville.

Mitch Korn reunites with Barry Trotz for second stint in Nashville

Legenday goaltending coach, Mitch Korn, has left the New York Islanders and found his way back to longtime friend and partner, Barry…

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

Devils could have used him.

Meanwhile, Terreri gets a bump up on Long Island, and the Islanders bring in Sorokin's old goaltending coach from the KHL.

Islanders rework goaltending staff ahead of critical offseason for Ilya Sorokin

It did not take the Islanders long to reshuffle their goaltending staff.

nypost.com

I’m sure Rogalski is doing fine. Just look at those goaltending results. No reason to look at them or what he’s doing.

 

[MartyOwns]

terreri lmao

 

[Guttersniped]

Mitch Korn back to Nashville.

Mitch Korn reunites with Barry Trotz for second stint in Nashville

Legenday goaltending coach, Mitch Korn, has left the New York Islanders and found his way back to longtime friend and partner, Barry…

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

Devils could have used him.

Meanwhile, Terreri gets a bump up on Long Island, and the Islanders bring in Sorokin's old goaltending coach from the KHL.

Islanders rework goaltending staff ahead of critical offseason for Ilya Sorokin

It did not take the Islanders long to reshuffle their goaltending staff.

nypost.com

Mitch Korn, 66, worked with Barry Trotz at
NSH 1998-14
WSH 2014-18
NYI 2018-22

So Korn didn’t make the open market.

Nashville isn’t firing or adding anyone else now. They didn’t have a Director of Goaltending for Korn to replace and he has pre-existing ties with the current staff.

Preds’ Goalie Coach Ben Vanderklok (2013-24), 42, is one of his many disciples and he coached Development Coach/Scout Pekka Rinne, 41 (2023-24).

BUT… I kind of find it hard to believe that Sorokin’s ex-coach came over to be a development coach in the AHL.

Piero Greco, 56, has been the Isles goalie coach since 2018-19.

Before that Greco had coached in the OHL and then coached with the Marlies in 2015-18. So he has a connection to Keefe.

terreri lmao

Been with Lou since 1987, it’s kind of incredible.

 

[MadDevil]

Wow, I didn't realize he'd been there that long. He's my go to when it comes to obscure Wild players that I will forever have stuck in my head from playing franchise mode back in the day (they were always my backup team back then).

 

[Bleedred]

I always thought Darby Hendrickson sounded like the lead singer of a cover band.

A cover band that primarily performed Germs and Jimi Hendrix covers.

 

[Clam Jensen]

This is one of my favorite videos ever. For reference, Pasha is a huge Devils fan too:

 

[Comparison Ford]

the more i hear about Necas on the block, the more i want him.

i don’t think carolina would trade within division unless it was overpay, but i think he’s the perfect player for our top 6.

 

[Dialamo]

the more i hear about Necas on the block, the more i want him.

i don’t think carolina would trade within division unless it was overpay, but i think he’s the perfect player for our top 6.

Necas has a knack for scoring in OT, there's some clutch-ness to his game.

 

[Oneiro]

The next top 6 guy you add for the long term really cannot be a passenger. I’m usually not an old timey, grit oriented sort of fan but I think the team does need someone who plays with a lot of fire and emotion next to Jack. Ideally someone who has no qualms about facewashing a guy. And clearly a good two way player.

Just my take but we have enough quiet class and skill. Time to hit shit in the paint.

 

[Devils731]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797738142533062709

Ranger fans can’t decide if headhunting is bad, Rempe is the best, or Tom Wilson is the worst.

 

[Guttersniped]

Calgary ended up losing out on every single conditional pick that came with their mid-season trades.

Just posted this here for perspective on any potential Markstrom deals.

Traded:
Noah Hanifan
Chris Tanev
Elias Lindholm
Nikita Zadorov

Final Haul:
Andrei Kuzmenko 28 W (1 year/ 5.5m)
Daniil Miromanov 26 RHD (was unsigned RFA, CGY extended him 2 years/ 1.25m)
Joni Jurmo 22 LHD (signed to 2 year ELC)
Artem Grushnikov 21 LHD (2 years left on ELC)
Hunter Brzustewicz 19 RHD (signed to 3 year ELC)

2024 VAN 1st #24
2024 DAL 2nd #62
2024 VGK 3rd #84
2024 NJD 4th #107
2024 CHI 5th #131 [traded to SJS for Okhotiuk]
2026 VGK 1st
2026 VAN 3rd

Vegas didn’t win 1 playoff round

DAL didn’t make the SCF

VAN didn’t make it to WCF

 

[NjDevsRR]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1797738142533062709

Ranger fans can’t decide if headhunting is bad, Rempe is the best, or Tom Wilson is the worst.

Mental illness, drugs? What caused this tweet

 

[My3Sons]

Mental illness, drugs? What caused this tweet

Absence of a soul perhaps

 

[SKNJD9]

Friedman on Carolina GM search (32TP): "The Hurricanes are making sure everyone's eyes are wide open about how this is all going to work and that is whoever gets this job is going to be the manager, but they're not going to have the power..."Cont'd: "The new GM hire is not going to have the final say and what this person told me is that some people have kind of backed away from the process because of this, that this is not going to be a traditional job"

 

[Bcap88]

Friedman on Carolina GM search (32TP): "The Hurricanes are making sure everyone's eyes are wide open about how this is all going to work and that is whoever gets this job is going to be the manager, but they're not going to have the power..."Cont'd: "The new GM hire is not going to have the final say and what this person told me is that some people have kind of backed away from the process because of this, that this is not going to be a traditional job"

Then wtf is the point of having a gm spot lol

Friedman said jarmo might be in the running which is great because he blows

 

[Goptor]

Friedman on Carolina GM search (32TP): "The Hurricanes are making sure everyone's eyes are wide open about how this is all going to work and that is whoever gets this job is going to be the manager, but they're not going to have the power..."Cont'd: "The new GM hire is not going to have the final say and what this person told me is that some people have kind of backed away from the process because of this, that this is not going to be a traditional job"

So, essentially Dundon will be director of player operations, the new hire is director of business operations, and Tulsky is Asst. director of player ops?
All of this with wacky title names instead of whats commonly used.

Time to get out the popcorn, Carolina may just remove themselves from their contention window.