Around the NHL 2024 - Offseason Moves

[Predsanddead24]

I guess I just don't get why Pride nights must be inherently political other than that I guess the existence of LGBT people is seemingly inherently political. As far as I'm aware they aren't putting messages on the jumbotron telling people to call their local representative to push for gender affirming care for minors or something. All the team Pride nights are saying is that if you are LGBT you are welcome at our games and in the hockey community more broadly. LGBT hockey players also want to just play hockey. Unfortunately hockey still has a problem with homophobia which is why things like Pride nights and the You Can Play initiative exist.

 

[Viqsi]

I guess I just don't get why Pride nights must be inherently political other than that I guess the existence of LGBT people is seemingly inherently political. As far as I'm aware they aren't putting messages on the jumbotron telling people to call their local representative to push for gender affirming care for minors or something. All the team Pride nights are saying is that if you are LGBT you are welcome at our games and in the hockey community more broadly. LGBT hockey players also want to just play hockey. Unfortunately hockey still has a problem with homophobia which is why things like Pride nights and the You Can Play initiative exist.

Y'know how Leafs fans have a bit of an unfortunate reputation on HF? What with all the homeristic takes and center-of-the-hockey-universe attitude and such? And yet on close examination one can notice that the sources of that reputation are just a loud annoying minority of a minority, but they're so noticable that the reputation persists regardless and Leafs fans in general find themselves having to answer for it?

It's kind of like that.

 

[Armourboy]

I guess I just don't get why Pride nights must be inherently political other than that I guess the existence of LGBT people is seemingly inherently political. As far as I'm aware they aren't putting messages on the jumbotron telling people to call their local representative to push for gender affirming care for minors or something. All the team Pride nights are saying is that if you are LGBT you are welcome at our games and in the hockey community more broadly. LGBT hockey players also want to just play hockey. Unfortunately hockey still has a problem with homophobia which is why things like Pride nights and the You Can Play initiative exist.

And regardless of the tape those will still exist, the NHL was pretty clear about that.

I personally don't have an issue with it as long as that choice is left up to the individual players to make and they aren't forced to support things they may not want too.

Ultimately I think that is why they banned the jersey's, which I'm fine with. Those weren't a case of individuality, it was essentially putting a giant target on players. There is a difference in pointing out a player because they choose to support something, and making players a target because they choose not too.

That may apply to more than just LGBTQ as well. Can you imagine the backlash if a player from another country didn't want to participate in an American Military night? With the global climate we have atm that could be a real possibility.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

The real problem isn't advocating for any kind of inclusion or charity, it's the fact that adults can't ignore things they don't like and go on about their business.

I know my generation grew up hearing "mind your own business" and "if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all". Now, my generation are some of the worst at those concepts.

I can tell you I have way too much happening in my life to worry how someone else lives their's.

 

[101st_fan]

Where was your commentary about him using the tape last season? Or the season before?

Nobody around the league paid attention to how little the tape was used ... and nobody on social media cared until a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Armourboy]

The real problem isn't advocating for any kind of inclusion or charity, it's the fact that adults can't ignore things they don't like and go on about their business.

I know my generation grew up hearing "mind your own business" and "if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all". Now, my generation are some of the worst at those concepts.

I can tell you I have way too much happening in my life to worry how someone else lives their's.

I definitely don't care either. That said I can understand how individuals wouldn't want something they support to be on the opposite side of what they believe either. That's why I've long held that businesses of all kind are much better off staying out of the realm of social, political, or religious issues. As a stockholder/owner I want you making the most money possible and risking alienating any potential customer ain't good for the bottom line. Disney and Budweiser have learned that lesson the hard way.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

I definitely don't care either. That said I can understand how individuals wouldn't want something they support to be on the opposite side of what they believe either. That's why I've long held that businesses of all kind are much better off staying out of the realm of social, political, or religious issues. As a stockholder/owner I want you making the most money possible and risking alienating any potential customer ain't good for the bottom line. Disney and Budweiser have learned that lesson the hard way.

Sure, but, that is only said for progressive type causes. And, obviously, it's because progress, or call it change, is scary for people. Anything that is conservative or keeps the status quo is just fine in business, sports and music...

 

[Predsanddead24]

Where was your commentary about him using the tape last season? Or the season before?

Nobody around the league paid attention to how little the tape was used ... and nobody on social media cared until a couple of weeks ago.

The NHL only banned the use of it a couple weeks ago which is why it is a story now.

 

[Viqsi]

Where was your commentary about him using the tape last season? Or the season before?

Nobody around the league paid attention to how little the tape was used ... and nobody on social media cared until a couple of weeks ago.

I didn't care for most of the time because it was a minor thing, 'cause the League had those Pride nights, which was a token performative effort but it still was maybe a teensy bit reassuring now and again. But then a bunch of radicals couldn't just stick to sports and instead went and shoved their politics in my face by publically and loudly complaining about the existence of rainbows, and the League caved to their radical agenda because it was easier to say "f*** you" to people like me than to tell the radicals to sit down and shut up and stop rocking the boat, and so now it's more than just minor performative nonsense.

 

[Viqsi]

Sure, but, that is only said for progressive type causes. And, obviously, it's because progress, or call it change, is scary for people. Anything that is conservative or keeps the status quo is just fine in business, sports and music...

Except in this case the status quo was rainbows on Pride Night, and oh my gosh that just had to change immediately it was so unbearable.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Except in this case the status quo was rainbows on Pride Night, and oh my gosh that just had to change immediately it was so unbearable.

That's true too, as the world becomes more intolerant and the quiet things are said outloud its become acceptable to be intolerant and maybe even hateful.

 

[101st_fan]

I didn't care for most of the time because it was a minor thing, 'cause the League had those Pride nights, which was a token performative effort but it still was maybe a teensy bit reassuring now and again. But then a bunch of radicals couldn't just stick to sports and instead went and shoved their politics in my face by publically and loudly complaining about the existence of rainbows, and the League caved to their radical agenda because it was easier to say "f*** you" to people like me than to tell the radicals to sit down and shut up and stop rocking the boat, and so now it's more than just minor performative nonsense.

The same word of radical could be said about those calling for the firing of players for not wearing a rainbow warmup jersey. Provorov quietly sat out the warm ups, then late in the 1st media noticed he was playing and the hyper focus began. The politics of trying to mandate people wear a specialty jersey is what led to the removal of all of them from on ice before games ... no more worn Hispanic, military, pride, or lunar new year jerseys. Less than ten players opted out and if you agree with their religious view or not, they are entitled to it. When the discussion focused on those few players rather than the 98%+ opting in the distraction outweighed the benefit and the NHL banned all specialty jerseys ... MLB also banning rainbow specialty jerseys (not that anybody really paid attention to that).

Meanwhile Dermott used pride tape outside of specialty nights going back a couple of years and nobody said a word because nobody bothered to even notice. Him, and ONLY him, using the tape regularly before it was banned then doing a single wrap this week (yet he waited over a week into the season to do so) is the first time it gets any notice.

Teams still hold theme nights in arena and auction off jerseys that weren't on the ice. The Preds already did their Hispanic Night sweaters.

 

[Armourboy]

Sure, but, that is only said for progressive type causes. And, obviously, it's because progress, or call it change, is scary for people. Anything that is conservative or keeps the status quo is just fine in business, sports and music...

I mean you think the My Pillow guy wishes now he would have kept his mouth shut? Elon Musk may end up being another, but he's got enough income sources that it will take a bit to see what the long term effects are there.

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

Unfortunately hockey still has a problem with homophobia which is why things like Pride nights and the You Can Play initiative exist.

Yeah, nobody is afraid of such things these days, unless the blanket term is being used merely as a generic statement to mean people with differing opinions, in which case, still wouldn't be correct.

 

[LCPreds]

The same word of radical could be said about those calling for the firing of players for not wearing a rainbow warmup jersey. Provorov quietly sat out the warm ups, then late in the 1st media noticed he was playing and the hyper focus began. The politics of trying to mandate people wear a specialty jersey is what led to the removal of all of them from on ice before games ... no more worn Hispanic, military, pride, or lunar new year jerseys. Less than ten players opted out and if you agree with their religious view or not, they are entitled to it. When the discussion focused on those few players rather than the 98%+ opting in the distraction outweighed the benefit and the NHL banned all specialty jerseys ... MLB also banning rainbow specialty jerseys (not that anybody really paid attention to that).

Meanwhile Dermott used pride tape outside of specialty nights going back a couple of years and nobody said a word because nobody bothered to even notice. Him, and ONLY him, using the tape regularly before it was banned then doing a single wrap this week (yet he waited over a week into the season to do so) is the first time it gets any notice.

Teams still hold theme nights in arena and auction off jerseys that weren't on the ice. The Preds already did their Hispanic Night sweaters.

Why are you so worked up about people not noticing something? We notice and appreciate it now.

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Hey! Let's try to pivot away from this topic. This thread has come super close to being closed a few times, now and I'm doing all I can to keep it open.

While it is a big story, it's impossible to discuss without getting political and/or creating an argument. Besides, we're not going to change one's beliefs in any direction, here.

 

[herzausstein]

So all the teams that saw Vegas win with an unknown goalie and said yeah thats the ticket seem to be struggling early.

Edmonton, Toronto, Buffalo, Ottawa, LA all getting sub-par goaltending. Carolina is really struggling early as well.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

So all the teams that saw Vegas win with an unknown goalie and said yeah thats the ticket seem to be struggling early.

Edmonton, Toronto, Buffalo, Ottawa, LA all getting sub-par goaltending. Carolina is really struggling early as well.

One thing that may be a valid argument about goaltending is that goalies do get "in the zone" sometimes, even if they aren't very good/consistent overall. So in the regular season, you can bag points in the standings with a good/consistent top goalie, and that might get you into the playoffs. But then flip side, goalies also get in "ruts" at times too. We have seen that even with Saros.

So when you are down to needing 16 wins in the playoffs, I can see how getting on a roll with a mediocre goalie like Hill/Binnington/Niemi etc might SEEM like a thing. If you've got an elite team or are on a roll in other areas in parallel. But end of the day, you're still better off with Quick/Price/Vasilevskiy/Saros on average. Just "on average" you don't even get deep in a playoff run. Compared to 82-game regular seasons.

I don't really care about all that for us atm... right now, I just feel like it's always better for a team to COMPETE, and better developmentally for young players to get a chance to experience playoff hockey. Even if they are out in Round 1 or 2. In which case, we are getting max value out of Saros right now, because he is worth 20+ points more in the standings vs. an average goalie, and that makes us more competitive and gives us a better chance of making the playoffs.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Well that didn't last long. Nice work, Travis Dermott! Two strips of tape on the shaft of a stick for a depth player on the lowest profile team in the league was all it took...

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Well that didn't last long. Nice work, Travis Dermott! Two strips of tape on the shaft of a stick for a depth player on the lowest profile team in the league was all it took...

OK...there's an update. We're not going to debate this moving forward. It is what it is at this point.

 

[PredsV82]

Soooooo anyone else hoping the Dead Things come back to earth soon? I know it doesn't matter to the Preds as far as the standing go and all but... old grudges die hard and I'm not ready for those guys to be good again

 

[BigFatCat999]

Soooooo anyone else hoping the Dead Things come back to earth soon? I know it doesn't matter to the Preds as far as the standing go and all but... old grudges die hard and I'm not ready for those guys to be good again

I'm the boat of 'f*** 'em. f*** 'em where it hurts.'

 

[Armourboy]

Soooooo anyone else hoping the Dead Things come back to earth soon? I know it doesn't matter to the Preds as far as the standing go and all but... old grudges die hard and I'm not ready for those guys to be good again

Having watched a couple of games they aren't that good. I think you will see them come down the standings as things get going but it's early so the standings look a bit wonky. I don't expect Boston to go undefeated, Philly to win the Metro, or Carolina and New Jersey to miss the playoffs

They are probably outworking some teams right now similar to how we did that one season under Hynes before we came back to earth.

 

[Legionnaire11]

Seems a popular talking point these days is having the NHL schedule loaded up on Tue-Thu-Sat and sparse on the other days.

But I prefer it this way. It's a little more predictable as far as when you need to block out time for hockey, and gives a day in between to discuss the previous night's happenings. There is still a few games on the "off" nights if you really want to watch hockey every day, and with limited options on those nights you might be forced to watch teams that you normally wouldn't choose.

My only gripe is that I wish more Saturday and Sunday games would start earlier, especially after football season ends.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Seems a popular talking point these days is having the NHL schedule loaded up on Tue-Thu-Sat and sparse on the other days.

But I prefer it this way. It's a little more predictable as far as when you need to block out time for hockey, and gives a day in between to discuss the previous night's happenings. There is still a few games on the "off" nights if you really want to watch hockey every day, and with limited options on those nights you might be forced to watch teams that you normally wouldn't choose.

My only gripe is that I wish more Saturday and Sunday games would start earlier, especially after football season ends.

I just wish on the "off" days they still had at least an early and a late game. It sucks living in mountain time and having a situation like tonight where there is one game that'll be over by about 8PM.