Around the NHL 2024/25

voyageur

Hockey fanatic
Jul 10, 2011
10,452
9,815
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'd kindly settle for a tall glass of milk.
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.
 
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DeepFrickinValue

Formally Ruffus
May 14, 2015
5,513
4,577
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

Registered User
Mar 15, 2024
250
623
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.
 
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LucianoBorsato

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Mar 3, 2015
6,549
14,650
Winnipeg
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.
 

Stumbledore

Registered User
Jan 1, 2018
2,540
4,947
Canada
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.
I think it'll take more than a miracle to get the Preds and Hawks into the post-season.
 
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Thechozen1

Registered User
Sep 8, 2021
2,738
3,944
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.
NICHUSHKIN is saving his kill shots for the Jets. Just you wait and see.
 
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voyageur

Hockey fanatic
Jul 10, 2011
10,452
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Boy this one looks like a lengthy suspension for Reaves. Nurse with his head down is vulnerable, but that's the kind of hits the NHL doesn't need in the game. The impact of that hit for the Leafs is they scored the next two goals in the game. Edmonton definitely can't handle too many injuries on defense.



When the Jets go on their road trip through Minnesota, Vegas, L.A. and Dallas I think they are going to see another level of physicality and edge, not so much Minnesota and Dallas. But have to keep your head up in this league. You watch Scheifele play, he avoids a lot of hits that could be devastating if he didn't keep his head up.
 

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