Around the NHL 2024/25

[DRW204]

I'm not quite curious enough about this to do some deep dive into it, but as I was sitting here feeling old because my joints ache because it's either too humid or not humid enough outside, I saw someone post about yet another highly touted youngster from a few years back signing a minimum wage contract, and that got me thinking.

Are we in a lull with regards to new talent entering the league?

In the top 50 point producers last season, 2 players were born after 1999. Meaning last year, we had barely any players ages 18-24 that were big difference makers in that regard. The best goalies in the league (Helle, Shesterkin, Sorokin, Saros, Vasilevksy? Bob?) are all in their upper 20s or older. You could argue that the top D-men are younger, but other than that, there isn't much infusion of young superb talent lately.

You can point to the Jets as a prime example, where we haven't inserted much at all since arguably 2017, 7 years ago. But I don't think we're a big outlier.

Goalies I'm kind of not surprised.

I'd say fwds is a bit surprising though.

However the influx of talent in the mid 2010s with McDavid, Marner, Drai, Tkachuk, Aho, Kaprizov, Rantanen, Pastrnak, Connor etc was perhaps a tad abnormal? 2015 ofc was a insane draft year. Don't think any drafts will compete with that. Then consider 2014 and 2016s top end

I'd be interested seeing how many players from each draft class among the top 50.

 

[GJF]

For the Caps it's all about getting Ovi the Gretzky record. Also the bottom of the East is pretty wide open, they could sneak in like they did last year, though it's a quick 4 or 5 and out.

Yep I agree but sneaking in doesn't give them a chance of actually competing IMO. The only thing it does is f*** up their draft position and eventually their position once they start rebuilding during life after OV.

 

[Gil Fisher]

Uh oh?

John Tavares is taking the CRA to court. A ruling against him could change how NHL teams sign players

Toronto Maple Leafs forward John Tavares is taking the CRA to court over a dispute as to how a signing bonus from 2018 should be taxed. The ruling could have a chilling effect on how Canadian NHL franchises negotiate with unrestricted free agents.

www.ctvnews.ca

Interesting. In theory, if CRA wins, Tavares would receive a credit for the tax he paid in the high tax state of New York, where he was resident when he received the bonus. That would mean the incremental tax owing in Canada is much lower. I'm guessing, though, he didn't pay tax anywhere on the bonus. It.could be statute barred in NY now, which is why Tavares is comfortable going to court.

 

[tbcwpg]

Yep I agree but sneaking in doesn't give them a chance of actually competing IMO. The only thing it does is f*** up their draft position and eventually their position once they start rebuilding during life after OV.

I agree there but I don't think they really care, it's about Ovi's legacy with the Caps at this point. Just like the Pens with Crosby and Malkin.

 

[BobTheSolarsystem]

Power rankings have Jets at 15th... lower than Washington... Pens at 29 I think

 

[GJF]

Power rankings have Jets at 15th... lower than Washington... Pens at 29 I think

Seriously? What makes the Caps rank higher than the Jets

 

[jokesondee]

Hockeywriters is more sane

NHL Power Rankings - August 2024 - The Hockey Writers Power Rankings Latest News, Analysis & More

The 2024 offseason definitely looks like a busy one. Plenty of moves to talk about, and we also notice some shifts in the NHL power rankings.

thehockeywriters.com

 

[Jet]

Seriously? What makes the Caps rank higher than the Jets

I really think all these writers care about is how much change an org has had, and don't really care if it's positive or not.

This is the same roster that minus Dillon had an excellent record pre deadline.

I honestly don't care if people sleep on the Jets, kind of like the underdog status

 

[cbcwpg]

Power rankings have Jets at 15th... lower than Washington... Pens at 29 I think

The more the word gets out there that the Jets are not a threat, the better IMO.

 

[bustamente]

Leafs are going into the season with Woll and Stolarz as their netminders, good luck with that.

 

[Cnile]

Jets start out every season under the radar.
Then they perform admirably in the regular season.
Then they stink in the playoffs.
The preseason rankings come out, Jets ranked low, wash,rinse and repeat.

 

[Jets 31]

Jets start out every season under the radar.
Then they perform admirably in the regular season.
Then they stink in the playoffs.
The preseason rankings come out, Jets ranked low, wash,rinse and repeat.

The Jets last few playoff appearances have been horrible i agree but there has to be some talent on a team that finished 4th overall in the NHL and had 52 wins . Hopefully they figure out what they are doing wrong come playoff time.

 

[macmaroon]

Leafs are going into the season with Woll and Stolarz as their netminders, good luck with that.

Not according to Laffs fans, they have the best goalie tandem in the league...

 

[Cnile]

The Jets last few playoff appearances have been horrible i agree but there has to be some talent on a team that finished 4th overall in the NHL and had 52 wins . Hopefully they figure out what they are doing wrong come playoff time.

Hey it’s only been 5 years running and they haven’t showed any improvement in the playoffs.
I seriously doubt they figure it out this season either.
I hope they do but not sure what changes they have made that makes this happen.

 

[Jets 31]

Hey it’s only been 5 years running and they haven’t showed any improvement in the playoffs.
I seriously doubt they figure it out this season either.
I hope they do but not sure what changes they have made that makes this happen.

I'm hoping pride , you just can't play like they did in last year's playoffs and not be pissed off and embarrassed. They owned Colorado in the regular season and then get hammered by Colorado in the playoffs, i know i would come into this season with something to prove .

 

[Flair Hay]

I'm hoping pride , you just can't play like they did in last year's playoffs and not be pissed off and embarrassed. They owned Colorado in the regular season and then get hammered by Colorado in the playoffs, i know i would come into this season with something to prove .

I think Arniel is a more tactical coach than Bones. Bones has a really really good structure for team defense. But I don't think he is as adept at in game adjustments. That's what can really make a difference in a playoff series where the teams are every matched.

I'm not sure our series qualifies with the level Makar and Macakinnon played at. Man they were good lol

 

[Cnile]

I'm hoping pride , you just can't play like they did in last year's playoffs and not be pissed off and embarrassed. They owned Colorado in the regular season and then get hammered by Colorado in the playoffs, i know i would come into this season with something to prove .

That’s just it, they say the same things every exit interview.
Other than DeMelo not sure I believe most of them

 

[ERYX]

I'm hoping pride , you just can't play like they did in last year's playoffs and not be pissed off and embarrassed. They owned Colorado in the regular season and then get hammered by Colorado in the playoffs, i know i would come into this season with something to prove .

I've pretty much run out of hope in that regard. As @Eyeseeing points out, they've had plenty of reason to be pissed, embarassed, and with something to prove for several years in a row now. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice ...

Jets fooled me last year, I thought maybe they had turned a corner, which is why I was so angry when they once again pooped the bed in the playoffs. The roster has not changed in any significant way. I'm expecting more of the same, sadly (atrocious playoff performance after a solid year).

My only (last, forlorn) hope is that Arneil is somehow the secret sauce they need, but not counting on this by any stretch.

 

[Jet]

I'm hoping pride , you just can't play like they did in last year's playoffs and not be pissed off and embarrassed. They owned Colorado in the regular season and then get hammered by Colorado in the playoffs, i know i would come into this season with something to prove .

I have become pretty cynical about this group. This isn't their first collapse rodeo. We bent over to Vegas in 17-18 with nary a whimper, and the playoffs before last repeated that performance.

You'd think heading into last years' playoffs, the veterans on this team would have came to play but we looked like a bunch of chicken shits out there.

 

[BobTheSolarsystem]

Have to say Im skeptical of final results this year... its been a couple seasons that Ive finally drank the koolaid but the Jets have to show that they can compete in the second half when the good teams turn it on.

That being said, with Lambert at 2C and Miller replacing Schmidt - I like this lineup better than last year.

Really don't want defence by committee anymore... don't care about 'fairness' - play the core that gives us the best chance to win. We have at least four guys competing for that final spot - one of them has to seize it in TC.

- depth means shit in the playoffs, you need your core to step it up
- please play 'fancy stat' lines not 'buddy' lines
- our shutdown line needs some kind off scoring threat
- Pionk is not our second best dman
- our D system works - don't abandon it
- get Perfetti, Barron and Lambert real TOI - the top six could transform in the next 2 years... integrate the few prospects we have

If Im in charge, I sit on my hands at TD unless there's a serious injury... Chevy gets trade happy when he can FINALLY get guys to come to Winnipeg - pick up one top six depth piece like a Nino or Names and thats it.

Ehlers-Scheif-Vilardi
Connor-Lambert-Perfetti
Barron-Lowry-Nino
Names-Gus-Apples
Iafallo/Kupari

 

[Thechozen1]

The Jets last few playoff appearances have been horrible i agree but there has to be some talent on a team that finished 4th overall in the NHL and had 52 wins . Hopefully they figure out what they are doing wrong come playoff time.

They know what they’re doing wrong, they just don’t have the makeup or mental fortitude to execute. Not enough fight in those dogs when the going gets tough in the real season.

 

[LowLefty]

They know what they’re doing wrong, they just don’t have the makeup or mental fortitude to execute. Not enough fight in those dogs when the going gets tough in the real season.

The fights there if they choose to use it -
IMO, the major issue is that they do not necessarily understand what got them to where they were at the end of the reg season.
There are core players on this roster that think another 10% of skill and fitness is all that is needed - when it's actually the level of compete they bring to the PO's that is more likely the difference maker.

How do you convince your top talent that it isn't addition skill (or the level of skill) that is the difference maker? Skill wise, they are what they are - and if they want to be successful beyond what they are, they need to bring another level of compete - because that is the pce that is actually achievable for any group of players - but it means a lot of hard work. Some players get that - some don't. A huge challenge for the coaching staff.

 

[GeorgeJETson]

I've pretty much run out of hope in that regard. As @Eyeseeing points out, they've had plenty of reason to be pissed, embarassed, and with something to prove for several years in a row now. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice ...

Jets fooled me last year, I thought maybe they had turned a corner, which is why I was so angry when they once again pooped the bed in the playoffs. The roster has not changed in any significant way. I'm expecting more of the same, sadly (atrocious playoff performance after a solid year).

My only (last, forlorn) hope is that Arneil is somehow the secret sauce they need, but not counting on this by any stretch.

I feel similar. Last season, I decided to just enjoy the regular season and not bother focusing on the post season - I'm not expecting anything better this upcoming season.

Things won't change in the near future so I'm not going to get myself hyped about it unless there's either a massive roster change or they finally step up come playoffs.

 

[Thechozen1]

I feel similar. Last season, I decided to just enjoy the regular season and not bother focusing on the post season - I'm not expecting anything better this upcoming season.

Things won't change in the near future so I'm not going to get myself hyped about it unless there's either a massive roster change or they finally step up come playoffs.

Helle would need to channel a 2003 Giguere like performance to drag this team on a deep run. When a goalie is performing at that level you’d hope the players in front of him would be digging in deeper than they’ve show previously to match that intensity.

 

[Jets 31]

Helle would need to channel a 2003 Giguere like performance to drag this team on a deep run. When a goalie is performing at that level you’d hope the players in front of him would be digging in deeper than they’ve show previously to match that intensity.

Everyone needs to be better come playoff time but Helly especially. I think Helly is good enough to stand on his head and win us a series or 2 and he hasn't really done that yet.