Around the NHL 2024-25 regular season Part II - The holidays are upon us

[Bleedred]

This may actually be an upgrade. I’m pretty sure Lalonde is bad, but Detroit is also pretty bad.

I’d have to think he burned his bridge in Tampa after going on Canadian national TV during the playoffs a couple years ago to talk about how they had to compensate for Vasilevskiy’s struggles on shots from the point by having a defensive scheme designed to protect him from them. So I don’t think he’ll be ending up back there next year.

 

[jkrdevil]

Mclellan is an average coach, but at least Detroit knows they are getting an average coach to evaluate everything else.

 

[Bleedred]

Please don't tell me they're giving him a raise from the $5,5 million LA was paying him? He was literally the highest paid coach other than Babcock for a while there, but a few other guys had big extensions that would later kick in. I'm not sure if puckpedia has the coaches salaries like cap friendly had most of them listed.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Yzerplan going very well

 

[Bleedred]

Yzerplan going very well

The place was completely nuked by Holland and they haven’t had lottery/draft luck. They probably shouldn’t have been consistently competitive before 2026.

But like I keep saying, I don’t know what he’s doing there. He gives out at least one bad contract every UFA day, sometimes even two.

He seems to have been icing a team that can finish anywhere between 7th and 13th in the conference, rather than contend or be true bottom feeders. This year it’s turning out closer to a bottom feeder than the bubble team of the last two years.

I don’t think it’s all his fault, but he’s not the god that people pumped him up to be a couple years ago. No one is really doing that anymore though.

 

[jkrdevil]

Bob Boughner was on their bench and let go? I feel like he is in all these mid-season changes benches one way or another.

 

[Hisch13r]

I know Drury’s dumb but I REALLY hope he’s as dumb as Ranger fans. They’re seriously saying they need to move Fox lol

 

[Bleedred]

Bob Boughner was on their bench and let go? I feel like he is in all these mid-season changes benches one way or another.

I don't think it always happens with him, though he replaced DeBoer as Sharks head coach when they fired him. He had been an assistant there before going back to the first DeBoer year with the Sharks and I think probably the second also? Then Florida named him head coach and he was there for two years. But they fired in favor of Quenneville and announced his firing, as well as the hiring of Quenneville the morning after the regular season ended. He missed the playoffs both years as head coach there, but just barely in the first year. Remember they almost got in and were in a race with us in the Taylor Hall MVP year.

The Sharks then brought him back to be an assistant again, where he took over for DeBoer around December I think?

They kept him as head coach the next two years after that season, and then controversially fired him I think around July 1st. It caused an uproar because there were no more head coaching jobs left or very few.

 

[NjDevsRR]

I know Drury’s dumb but I REALLY hope he’s as dumb as Ranger fans. They’re seriously saying they need to move Fox lol

I always feel like he is the most overrated player in the league.

Please tell me why I am wrong because he just never takes over games when I watch them

 

[Hisch13r]

I always feel like he is the most overrated player in the league.

Please tell me why I am wrong because he just never takes over games when I watch them

Funny because I think he gets underrated because he’s both small and can’t skate so he doesn’t stick out in the same way a Hughes or Makar does. Yet despite that he has consistently managed to be an elite two way play driver that is also one of the best producers on the back end. In the 4 years after his rookie year (where was also elite) he won the 2021 Norris and I think deserved the 2023 Norris but Karlsson got it because 100+ pts is stupid. Then was 5th in voting in 2022 and 4th last year. I probably would’ve had him nominated both of those years. This year in 300 minutes away from Lindgren he has a 60% CF, 64% xG, and 70% GF and he’s doing that on the RANGERS lol. I think he’s in the Quinn/Makar tier

 

[NjDevsRR]

Funny because I think he gets underrated because he’s both small and can’t skate so he doesn’t stick out in the same way a Hughes or Makar does. Yet despite that he has consistently managed to be an elite two way play driver that is also one of the best producers on the back end. In the 4 years after his rookie year (where was also elite) he won the 2021 Norris and I think deserved the 2023 Norris but Karlsson got it because 100+ pts is stupid. Then was 5th in voting in 2022 and 4th last year. I probably would’ve had him nominated both of those years. This year in 300 minutes away from Lindgren he has a 60% CF, 64% xG, and 70% GF and he’s doing that on the RANGERS lol. I think he’s in the Quinn/Makar tier

Oh my

Thank you

 

[Guttersniped]

 

[Bleedred]

Stan Fischler at 92 years old has suddenly become the most interesting person on Twitter!

 

[NJDevs26]

The place was completely nuked by Holland and they haven’t had lottery/draft luck. They probably shouldn’t have been consistently competitive before 2026.

But like I keep saying, I don’t know what he’s doing there. He gives out at least one bad contract every UFA day, sometimes even two.

He seems to have been icing a team that can finish anywhere between 7th and 13th in the conference, rather than contend or be true bottom feeders. This year it’s turning out closer to a bottom feeder than the bubble team of the last two years.

I don’t think it’s all his fault, but he’s not the god that people pumped him up to be a couple years ago. No one is really doing that anymore though.

Yeah he basically took what was already a long rebuild and extended it by becoming late-career Holland 2.0

 

[Guttersniped]

By the way, those Laine comments were so stupid.

He admits he hated the losing and was mailing it in, but now he's playing for another loser team? He's a clown.

Patrik Laine on Blue Jackets trade request: ‘I was tired of losing and just giving up’

Laine will face his former club for the first time since his summer trade to the Canadiens Monday night in Columbus.

www.nytimes.com

I remember reading that Laine was dumb as rock in the past, and while I don’t know for a fact if that’s true, this incident is a lot of smoke from a rock dumb fire.

“When I signed (a contract) here, I made it clear that I loved being here, that it was going great, and I didn’t want to leave,” Laine said after the Canadiens’ morning skate. “Obviously, things happened, and that was kind of it for me.

“I feel like we were just doing the same thing year after year. I was tired of losing and just giving up when it’s December to start focusing on next year. I’m not going to do that. That’s frustrating as a player when you’re trying to win and some people are, you know, not like that.

“They’re a little too satisfied and too comfortable where they’re at. It wasn’t really a fit for me anymore. But here (in Montreal), it doesn’t matter if we’re winning or losing, we’re always trying our best. That’s what I felt about it (in Columbus).”

Laine was pressed by reporters to clarify if he was referring to his Blue Jackets teammates or the club’s management.

“I’ll leave that for everybody’s imagination,” Laine said. “But there were certainly, certainly people like that who were a little too comfortable and fine with losing and just doing the same thing year after year. I’m going to leave that up for discussion for everybody else.”

Ok, being an asshole to your former teammates right before you play them away is quite the strategy.

And playing coy didn’t help, CBJ players took it very personally.

“I had some ups and downs (in Columbus),” Laine said. “I don’t want to get into that too much, but … some things probably could have been handled better. Some things were great, some things were not so great.

“I’m having the time of my life here (in Montreal), so I probably don’t want to get into that too much.”

“It’s great to see some of the fan base happy to see me happy,” Laine said. “For the other ones, I don’t really care what you think.

“(I have) no clue. It’s not that I’ve lost any sleep over it. Hopefully it’s positive. If it’s not, I really don’t care. If guys are going to be pissed off and bitter about something, that’s your issue. I’m having a great time regardless, and I don’t care what other people are saying.

“It’ll be cool. It’ll be cool to shut ’em down. There’s always idiots who do that. Hopefully not the entire building, with everything I did here for the community and for the team. If somebody feels like they want to boo, I feel like they’ve got bigger issues going on than me coming back here.”

And also a narcissistic manchild.

“If we win, we’re going to jump them,” Laine said. “That’d be awesome to leave them behind.”

Throws in some more bulletin board material because why not?

And how does this work out for him?

Blue Jackets respond angrily to Patrik Laine’s criticism, earn comeback win over Canadiens

Laine received boos from the fans, hits from the players and no "welcome back" video from the front office.

www.nytimes.com

Laine’s words made it down the hallway to the Blue Jackets dressing room and eventually up to the suite level, where the Blue Jackets front office is housed. Nobody was happy, and both groups took action.

But it was Laine’s comments, and the friction they created, that provided the drama. He was booed every time he touched the puck. He was targeted for hits (hard, but clean) by his former teammates. He left the game after the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return.

Werenski stepped forward in the post-game dressing room to speak for the rest of the Blue Jackets.

“It’s unfortunate,” he said. “As guys in here, and as a guy who’s been here, we were nothing but good teammates to him, nothing but good friends to him. For him to bash us like that, I think it’s just unacceptable. I hope he’s all right with whatever he’s dealing with tonight, but he didn’t finish the game. A couple hits and … yeah, I don’t know what happened, but it’s unfortunate.

“We were nothing but good teammates to him. For him to come in here and say all that, that’s bulls—. I’m definitely not happy about it and none of us in this room are happy about it. That speaks more about him than it does us.”

Asked if the Blue Jackets were motivated by it, Werenski didn’t flinch.

“Yeah, 100 percent,” Werenski said. “What’s he thinking saying all that? It’s just incredible. I’ve got no more time for that. I don’t want to talk about Patty anymore. I hope he’s all right. I just thought that was pretty ridiculous, to be honest.”

The front office didn’t appreciate it, either.

The Blue Jackets had a “welcome back” video ready to play for Laine during a TV timeout in the first period, but by afternoon they’d decided against showing it. The last time that happened was when Ryan Johansen returned to Columbus after being traded to the Nashville Predators midway through the 2015-16 season.

Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason, who was hired this past summer, said he could tell his players were riled up by the time they returned to the rink before the game.

“I didn’t even know that went down (Laine’s comments),” he said. “I don’t hear it, but I definitely heard players talking about it, and I thought our guys handled it appropriately. They probably weren’t happy about it and rightfully so, but they did it the right way.

“I was happy and proud of our guys for how they conducted themselves. And the fans.”

One of the biggest cheers of the night came in the third period when the scoreboard zoomed on a fan with the words “Where is Laine?” typed on her cellphone. Montreal coach Martin St. Louis said after the game that he didn’t have an update on Laine’s status.

TL;DR The Columbus Front Office canceled his welcome back video. His pissed off former Blue Jacket teammates targeted him and knocked him out of the game after the 1st period with a UBI.

 

[My3Sons]

Patrik Laine on Blue Jackets trade request: ‘I was tired of losing and just giving up’

Laine will face his former club for the first time since his summer trade to the Canadiens Monday night in Columbus.

www.nytimes.com

I remember reading that Laine was dumb as rock in the past, and while I don’t know for a fact if that’s true, this incident is a lot of smoke from a rock dumb fire.



Ok, being an asshole to your former teammates right before you play them away is quite the strategy.

And playing coy didn’t help, CBJ players took it very personally.





And also a narcissistic manchild.



Throws in some more bulletin board material because why not?

And how does this work out for him?

Blue Jackets respond angrily to Patrik Laine’s criticism, earn comeback win over Canadiens

Laine received boos from the fans, hits from the players and no "welcome back" video from the front office.

www.nytimes.com

TL;DR The Columbus Front Office canceled his welcome back video. His pissed off former Blue Jacket teammates targeted him and knocked him out of the game after the 1st period with a UBI.

He hasn’t learned much despite being a veteran player

 

[Saugus]

Patrik Laine on Blue Jackets trade request: ‘I was tired of losing and just giving up’

Laine will face his former club for the first time since his summer trade to the Canadiens Monday night in Columbus.

www.nytimes.com

I remember reading that Laine was dumb as rock in the past, and while I don’t know for a fact if that’s true, this incident is a lot of smoke from a rock dumb fire.



Ok, being an asshole to your former teammates right before you play them away is quite the strategy.

And playing coy didn’t help, CBJ players took it very personally.





And also a narcissistic manchild.



Throws in some more bulletin board material because why not?

And how does this work out for him?

Blue Jackets respond angrily to Patrik Laine’s criticism, earn comeback win over Canadiens

Laine received boos from the fans, hits from the players and no "welcome back" video from the front office.

www.nytimes.com

TL;DR The Columbus Front Office canceled his welcome back video. His pissed off former Blue Jacket teammates targeted him and knocked him out of the game after the 1st period with a UBI.

Some people just don’t know how or when to keep their mouth shut. Laine appears to be one.

 

[Rhodes 81]

Oof lol.

He was a guy I was interested in last season prior to free agency, but did not realize how negative a lot of his impacts were until the summer rolled around. Particularly defensively.

Just a player I had completely wrong preconceived notions of.

The whole time in Vegas he was carried by Stone, but he really fell off a cliff last year. I wanted to sign him until around January when it started to become clear he was going to get stupid money but his best hockey is behind him.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

I always feel like he is the most overrated player in the league.

Please tell me why I am wrong because he just never takes over games when I watch them

The problem with Fox doesn't have to do with him at all, it's the fact that he's constantly tied at the hip with Lindgren in spite of it bringing down his metrics. The advanced stats show that he's elite when he's paired with someone else, but in the bottom left quadrant when he's with Lindgren. You could see that in that last game when Fox was consistently the only guy back against an incoming Devils rush.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Yeah he basically took what was already a long rebuild and extended it by becoming late-career Holland 2.0

This smells too much like Buffalo but, without drafting a stud like Eichel.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

The Yzerplan is the NHL version of The Process.

 

[Louskoolaid89]

Some people just don’t know how or when to keep their mouth shut. Laine appears to be one.

Always felt the

Patrik Laine on Blue Jackets trade request: ‘I was tired of losing and just giving up’

Laine will face his former club for the first time since his summer trade to the Canadiens Monday night in Columbus.

www.nytimes.com

I remember reading that Laine was dumb as rock in the past, and while I don’t know for a fact if that’s true, this incident is a lot of smoke from a rock dumb fire.



Ok, being an asshole to your former teammates right before you play them away is quite the strategy.

And playing coy didn’t help, CBJ players took it very personally.





And also a narcissistic manchild.



Throws in some more bulletin board material because why not?

And how does this work out for him?

Blue Jackets respond angrily to Patrik Laine’s criticism, earn comeback win over Canadiens

Laine received boos from the fans, hits from the players and no "welcome back" video from the front office.

www.nytimes.com

TL;DR The Columbus Front Office canceled his welcome back video. His pissed off former Blue Jacket teammates targeted him and knocked him out of the game after the 1st period with a UBI.

I also had the perception that the Finns and Swedes were all pretty low key and classy guys. He's certainly an exception to that rule. I guess Haula too with his relationship with Carolina.

 

[Hisch13r]

The thing about the Laine stuff is he isn’t wrong. It’s the same exact thing Waddell said. Columbus is historically the worst franchise in the league and recently has consistently been in the basement as well. Just maybe don’t say it and give guys a reason to take your head off lol

 

[TheBeerNerd]

Laine's had that cocky swagger to him for a while, it's just that it took a backseat to whatever mental issues he's had over the last couple of years. But in the runup to the draft with him and Matthews, it was front and center.

 

[SJinNewJersey]