Around The NHL Discussion 2019/20 - Part IV

[Stelmacki]

‘I’m guessing you don’t see the irony of your post proving my point?

 

[Ted Hoffman]

Doc Emrick (finally) calls it a career. Legendary broadcaster, HOFer, all of that. Yes, I agree - but he spent swaths of the last several years just hanging on for the sake of it. His calls didn't get quite as trite and boring as Ken Wilson did late in his tenure with the Blues, but MY GOODNESS! was starting to get applied to routine plays at times, and his penchant for getting into minute details or randomly dropping meaningless factoids was veering on rambling for the same of hearing himself talk and avoiding idle air time / covering for not being able to follow the play.

It will be interesting to see who gets tabbed to take over for him.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Doc Emrick (finally) calls it a career. Legendary broadcaster, HOFer, all of that. Yes, I agree - but he spent swaths of the last several years just hanging on for the sake of it. His calls didn't get quite as trite and boring as Ken Wilson did late in his tenure with the Blues, but MY GOODNESS! was starting to get applied to routine plays at times, and his penchant for getting into minute details or randomly dropping meaningless factoids was veering on rambling for the same of hearing himself talk and avoiding idle air time / covering for not being able to follow the play.

It will be interesting to see who gets tabbed to take over for him.

I believe John Forslund is available.

 

[Itsnotatrap]

Forslund is the best by far in my opinion. If Dave Strader were still alive, it would be a close call.

 

[Xanadude]

I love Doc and Forslund will do a great job of replacing him (for as long as NBC has that contract) but man alive what I wouldn't give to get Gary Thorne back.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I love Doc and Forslund will do a great job of replacing him (for as long as NBC has that contract) but man alive what I wouldn't give to get Gary Thorne back.

Spoiler: You know where that comment is going

[Over/under on posts suggesting bringing back Bill Clement: 0.5]

If Thorne could call it from home, perhaps - but honestly, he's 72 now. Let's try to find someone who can carry the microphone for 10-15 years or so. Forslund would be a good pick; Joe Beninati from Washington would be good, I'd be fine with Kenny Albert. Wonder if this wouldn't be the time John Kelly gets a shot at semi-full time national broadcasts, either.

The list of for the love of God, please don't let them have a sniff of it candidates, ... IMO that's a longer list, which speaks to the dearth of quality play-by-play guys in general.

 

[Xanadude]

Spoiler: You know where that comment is going

[Over/under on posts suggesting bringing back Bill Clement: 0.5]

If Thorne could call it from home, perhaps - but honestly, he's 72 now. Let's try to find someone who can carry the microphone for 10-15 years or so. Forslund would be a good pick; Joe Beninati from Washington would be good, I'd be fine with Kenny Albert. Wonder if this wouldn't be the time John Kelly gets a shot at semi-full time national broadcasts, either.

The list of for the love of God, please don't let them have a sniff of it candidates, ... IMO that's a longer list, which speaks to the dearth of quality play-by-play guys in general.

Yeah, it really wouldn't make sense to have Thorne back as the main guy...I'm guessing that'll be Forslund or Albert, but putting Thorne back in the rotation for Wednesday Night games would be a dream.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

I browsed the teams around the league, and yikes, the defense, especially in the West is barren. After most teams top 3 there is a crazy drop-off. Minnesota and Nashville probably have the most complete defensive cores. If Faulk can bounce back from his horrible season and Krug can QB the offense this season isn't going to be as doom and gloom as we think. Come on Colt, time for you to shine big boy.

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

I browsed the teams around the league, and yikes, the defense, especially in the West is barren. After most teams top 3 there is a crazy drop-off. Minnesota and Nashville probably have the most complete defensive cores. If Faulk can bounce back from his horrible season and Krug can QB the offense this season isn't going to be as doom and gloom as we think. Come on Colt, time for you to shine big boy.

East is much deeper overall. We are still among top in West.

 

[Xanadude]

Though Colorado and Vegas are clearly at the top of the conference, without Petro I think we slot somewhere in with Dallas, Vancouver and Winnipeg as teams that have a shot but some big question marks. Our defense isn't elite, but it's good enough to at least hang in with anyone. IMO our real big question mark is Binnington. If he struggles again we no longer have the reliable Allen safety valve. It could get ugly.

 

[BlueOil]

Though Colorado and Vegas are clearly at the top of the conference, without Petro I think we slot somewhere in with Dallas, Vancouver and Winnipeg as teams that have a shot but some big question marks. Our defense isn't elite, but it's good enough to at least hang in with anyone. IMO our real big question mark is Binnington. If he struggles again we no longer have the reliable Allen safety valve. It could get ugly.

agreed, playoffs are possible, but not guaranteed. lots of youth will have the chance to step in.

 

[Frenzy31]

Though Colorado and Vegas are clearly at the top of the conference, without Petro I think we slot somewhere in with Dallas, Vancouver and Winnipeg as teams that have a shot but some big question marks. Our defense isn't elite, but it's good enough to at least hang in with anyone. IMO our real big question mark is Binnington. If he struggles again we no longer have the reliable Allen safety valve. It could get ugly.

I don't understand why Vegas is considered a top team. Sorry, but you don't lose your second line center and number 1 dman (leader in the locker room) and come out ahead. Yes Pie is better then Schmidt, but not Staz better. Add to the simple fact that they are will in need of dumping someone else..... Sorry, I don't see how they are a top team.

And with how they kind of used their draft to screw more then a couple of teams, I think most teams feel the shoe is on the other foot. Shedding salary isn't going to be easy.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

So once all the arbitration eligible RFA’s sign, that’s when free agency/trades should pick back up again right? I know most of the top UFA’s are gone, but there’s still at least 30 legitimate NHL’ers left unsigned.

 

[MissouriMook]

So once all the arbitration eligible RFA’s sign, that’s when free agency/trades should pick back up again right? I know most of the top UFA’s are gone, but there’s still at least 30 legitimate NHL’ers left unsigned.

The longer this takes, the better it might work out for the Blues, IMO. Assuming Steen is on LTIRetired, we've got about $3M-$4M we can comfortably spend on a depth scoring winger and the bargains should get better as time ticks down to training camp.

 

[MissouriMook]

Looks like the Winter Classic is being pushed back to 2022 according to the press release from the NHL today. No indication positive or negative on whether or not the Blues would still be the opponent for the Wild.

NHL postpones Winter Classic, All-Star Weekend for this season

 

[tfriede2]

Looks like the Winter Classic is being pushed back to 2022 according to the press release from the NHL today. No indication positive or negative on whether or not the Blues would still be the opponent for the Wild.

NHL postpones Winter Classic, All-Star Weekend for this season

Can’t imagine they’d substitute another team - that’d be ridiculous

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Can’t imagine they’d substitute another team - that’d be ridiculous

Well, the delay to 2022 means Chicago will have gone 2 years without one, so NBC probably pushes for that.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I believe Bertuzzi was the first player to get to arbitration yesterday. All the rest up to now re-signed prior to the hearings. I’m very curious whether there will be any reflection of the flattening of the market in the contract numbers awarded by arbitrators. It’s hard for me to see how they can account for that if they are simply using historical context as a guide. I believe that’s why many quality RFAs were not qualified. It’s not that their current team doesn’t want to keep them, period. It’s that they aren’t willing to commit to an overpayment coming from the arbitrator.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Well, the delay to 2022 means Chicago will have gone 2 years without one, so NBC probably pushes for that.

Chicago is apparently embracing a rebuild. It will be interesting if any of the veteran guys are moved out. It’s hard to see where this goes when respected players like Toews are publicly upset. But even the TV execs are not going to pencil Chicago into the Winter Classic for a while.

 

[EastonBlues22]

I believe Bertuzzi was the first player to get to arbitration yesterday. All the rest up to now re-signed prior to the hearings. I’m very curious whether there will be any reflection of the flattening of the market in the contract numbers awarded by arbitrators. It’s hard for me to see how they can account for that if they are simply using historical context as a guide. I believe that’s why many quality RFAs were not qualified. It’s not that their current team doesn’t want to keep them, period. It’s that they aren’t willing to commit to an overpayment coming from the arbitrator.

The best case a team could make would be to present comparable player salaries as a percentage of the total cap, and not just as a round number...something I'm sure that would be discussed by one party or the other in most hearings, anyway.

I don't think the issue is that arbitration would lead to "overpayment" relative to the cap, as much as it is that GM's weren't prepared for this cap/financial climate and they desperately need some team friendly deals to help them out. Arbitrators don't do "friendly" deals...they try to do fair ones, and GM's being in a hot spot because they were expecting a rising cap and handed out contracts accordingly should't affect an arbitration hearing of what a player's value is at all.

 

[The Note]

Those new Dallas sweaters are atrocious

 

[Blueline2757]

I saw this picture on Instagram. Pietrangelo up there feels so wrong and weird but it is what it is.

 

[elkranio]

always advance to the golf field f***ers
hate vegas

 

[MissouriMook]

always advance to the golf field f***ers
hate vegas

ELK!! Welcome back!

And I agree, by the way.

 

[Ranksu]

So it take 3 season Vegas become real Stanley Cup Contender. Have to give credit to their GM.