Around the NHL 2024/25

[voyageur]

Federko is really on the cusp for me and the type of player that I would probably have on the outside looking in. No personal awards, no finalist finishes, no team accomplishments, no allstar team nods, no international play, didn't impact the game in a major way. Granted he did have 10 consecutive seasons of 50+ assists so that is a major nod.

Just a good player but not what I would consider Hall of Fame material personally. Though I do realize that a lot of the Federko types do usually make it in. To me they are the Hall of Very Good types.

I'd likely have a much stricter HHOF personally. There are currently 299 players in the HHOF and I'd likely trim that down substantially. Individual hardware is a big one for me. followed by international play, then followed by success against peers, then rounded out by team accomplishments.

I think it's really hard to separate the good from the great in the Gretzky era. You have a 5 goal per game team, that only needed timely saves for Grant Fuhr who is in the HHoF. Then you have these Eastern teams, like the Isles under Arbour, Bowman's Sabres, Bryan Murray's Caps, Keenan's Flyers, and the Bruins and the Canadiens that still played a checking game, could keep GAA around 3 or under. It was like two different leagues back then.

 

[BarnabyJones PI]

I think it's really hard to separate the good from the great in the Gretzky era. You have a 5 goal per game team, that only needed timely saves for Grant Fuhr who is in the HHoF. Then you have these Eastern teams, like the Isles under Arbour, Bowman's Sabres, Bryan Murray's Caps, Keenan's Flyers, and the Bruins and the Canadiens that still played a checking game, could keep GAA around 3 or under. It was like two different leagues back then.

I wish more people recognized this in regards to Bossy, and specifically with Brian Propp. I have no doubt that had Propp played in the West for example, he would have blown past 500 goals, and probably extended his career, instead of being worn down by all of those city miles playing under Keenan.

As it stands, he had a great hockey career when you consider his time with the Wheat Kings, that Canada Cup team, making it to 5 finals with 3 different teams (while being a key forward), and being a very good two-way player.

I've warmed up to the idea of Bobby Smith more recently.

Fleury should be in. He was great, and it's not like he had an easy time making it into the NHL in the first place.

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

Aside from the fact that the Oilers had prime McDavid, they were absolutely dominant across the board in the fancy stats - but Stu Skinner couldn't stop a beachball.

The Preds are currently 20th in adjusted CF% and 22nd in xGF%. The Blues clawed their way up from similar depths in 2018-19. Saros is usually much better that he's been this season...and I think he's more likely to put together a Binnington-like run than Binnington ever was, but I don't feel like we're due for another resurgence like that again.

The second coming of grant Fuhr. Dude just won games.

 

[Moloch]

Anyone watch the Washington/Colorado game last night? Colorado looked lost. Annunen pulled after giving up 3 goals on 6 shots. Basically had to play a dump and chase game for the entire 2nd and 3rd period, no sustained breakouts, they looked really slow. Seems like avs fans were super hyped about nichushkin coming back but he looked terrible too.

 

[LucianoBorsato]

Anyone watch the Washington/Colorado game last night? Colorado looked lost. Annunen pulled after giving up 3 goals on 6 shots. Basically had to play a dump and chase game for the entire 2nd and 3rd period, no sustained breakouts, they looked really slow. Seems like avs fans were super hyped about nichushkin coming back but he looked terrible too.

Colorado and Nashville having average/garbage starts to the season have been a pleasant surprise so far. We are getting to the quarter season mark, it just gets harder and harder to dig yourself out of a hole. Colorado should be OK, but Nashville is going to need another miracle run like last season.