Around the NHL: PTO Season Becomes Waiver Season

[Chainshot]

I had the Oiler-Wing game on the other screen and while the Pens were winning it, EKane was trying to punch Larkin which somehow resulted in an Oiler PP.

 

[Chainshot]

Not sure what has happened, but it seems like all the vacationing together has made a lot of teams ornery.

 

[1point21Gigawatts]

This is the first preds game I have paid much attention to and my god they are so bad. Saros is the only good thing going for that team.

 

[BuffaloGooner]

f***in Pittsburgh the OT merchants at it again god dammit

 

[toddkaz]

Vegas wins 5-1 and again Eichel no points. This could be the worst drought of his caeer.

 

[dotcommunism]

Pittsburgh is going to make the playoffs on "loser points", aren't they?

Or they will just win it in OT on some sort of f***ing shit storm fire drill.

Honestly, I don't see the issue with loser points. It's not like picking up "wins" in overtime is winning actual hockey games either.

 

[old kummelweck]

No help in the standings last night. That is two nights in a row where Sabres sit and watch teams bank points. They can't come back flat.

 

[Dubi Doo]

It's frustrating that the teams we need to lose continue to win, but I take solace in that fact that we have the youngest team in the league and our future looks way the f*** brighter than damn near every team we're battling with right now.

It may not happen this year, but if the trend continues...we'll be passing these teams pretty easily in the next year.

 

[Jim Bob]

I had the Oiler-Wing game on the other screen and while the Pens were winning it, EKane was trying to punch Larkin which somehow resulted in an Oiler PP.

You would think that a lot of relaxation therapy would have the opposite effect...

Honestly, I don't see the issue with loser points. It's not like picking up "wins" in overtime is winning actual hockey games either.

I am a fan of the 3-2-1-0 points format from a logic POV. It probably wouldn't change the standings too much. But, making every game worth 3 points that get divvied up between the two teams, as opposed to some games are worth 2 points and others are worth 3 points, just makes sense to me.

 

[Jim Bob]

AP sources: Marty Walsh to leave Biden Cabinet to run NHLPA

U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is expected to leave the Biden administration to run the National Hockey League Players' Association, according to two people familiar with his plans.

www.sportsnet.ca

32 Thoughts: Ideas to fix All-Star weekend for 2024 in Toronto

In this week's collection of 32 Thoughts, Elliotte Friedman shares some ideas to improve All-Star weekend, gives the latest on some top trade candidates, Marty Walsh set to become new NHLPA leader and more.

www.sportsnet.ca

11. As US Secretary of Labour Marty Walsh prepares to take over the NHLPA, the thing heard most over the last week was, “No matter what anyone thinks, we have to present a united front.” A fractured union gets crushed in negotiations, and, in hockey, we’ve seen that before.

Because the search committee did a great job of keeping Walsh’s name private until last week, questions and concerns spilled out very quickly. First, there were revelations about Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs’ donations to Walsh. The Boston Globe reported the Red Sox, principally owned by John Henry (who added the Pittsburgh Penguins to his portfolio), contributed $10,000 to Walsh’s 2014 mayoral inauguration and transition. As someone who isn’t crazy about politicians of any party, I find that world greasy and expect nothing less. But those around the NHL/NHLPA long enough to remember the Alan Eagleson days are extremely sensitive about this. They desire information giving them reason to believe this won’t be the same thing; they want the process to slow down, to be convinced the players aren’t rushing into a mistake.

A nasty, anonymous email was circulated to agents last week arguing against the hire. Initially, it tried to rally support for Mike Gillis, but then removed his name. (I can’t imagine Gillis would have wanted his name on that.) Whatever the case, the selection committee pressed forward, conveying excitement about Walsh. That enthusiasm has convinced the rest of the players to back the choice.

12. Another connection for Marty Walsh: his chief labour counsel in Boston was Alexis Finneran Tkachuk, from the hugely successful Fitzgerald/McNeil/Tkachuk family.

13. Walsh’s most important job will be getting to know the rank-and-file, and he should immediately dedicate himself to doing that. While he may be a hockey fan, he doesn’t intimately know this group. On his way out, current Executive Director Donald Fehr warned the next few years (heading into CBA discussions) will be extremely challenging. Look at the ages of the selection committee: Kyle Okposo and Kevin Shattenkirk (34), Ian Cole and Sam Gagner (33), Nate Schmidt (31), Justin Faulk and Zach Hyman (30). What are the wishes of the younger players, who will form the backbone of the union for years to come?

14. Heard that one of the other serious contenders for NHLPA leadership was CFLPA Executive Director Brian Ramsay. He played a decade as an offensive lineman with Toronto, Hamilton and Edmonton, before negotiating two CBAs between players and the CFL.

 

[Chainshot]

15. 2023 Hobey Baker nominee Jackson LaCombe from the University of Minnesota has indicated he will sign with Anaheim once this season concludes. One of the NCAA’s top-scoring defenders, LaCombe — taken 39th overall in 2019 — could have become a free agent this summer. There would have been plenty of interest. That’s a good keep for the Ducks.

I wonder if we'll hear some info on Johnson soon too.

 

[Jim Bob]

I wonder if we'll hear some info on Johnson soon too.

Hopefully it isn't that RJ wants to keep playing with LaCombe...

 

[Chainshot]

Hopefully it isn't that RJ wants to keep playing with LaCombe...

 

[Jim Bob]

 

[Dingo44]

Honestly, I don't see the issue with loser points. It's not like picking up "wins" in overtime is winning actual hockey games either.

I still think they should go to a 3-2-1 points system. Every game is worth three points, and you can get all three with a regulation win, two with an OT win, and one with an OT loss. Nothing if you lose in regulation. Makes playing for the win in regulation more important and eliminates these magical extra points that are created out of thin air if a game goes to OT.

 

[Sabresfansince1980]

I still think they should go to a 3-2-1 points system. Every game is worth three points, and you can get all three with a regulation win, two with an OT win, and one with an OT loss. Nothing if you lose in regulation. Makes playing for the win in regulation more important and eliminates these magical extra points that are created out of thin air if a game goes to OT.

It's the logical route, but the NHL went to the current system because they wanted to artificially compress the standings, so that more teams (ie more ticket and TV revenue) are in contention for playoffs toward the end of the season. The league won't turn away from that, as frustrating as it is.

 

[CaliSabresfan24]

Nice little fun fact of the day.

 

[Mattilaus]

Honestly, I don't see the issue with loser points. It's not like picking up "wins" in overtime is winning actual hockey games either.

I don't think most people have a problem with it. They have a problem with some games being worth 2 points and some games being worth 3. Going to the 3-2-1-0 model fix this and would also make teams push for the win when the game is tied with a couple minutes left rather than just skating around and waiting for OT like so many teams seem to do.

Nice little fun fact of the day.

He is absolutely killing my fantasy team right now. Thankfully my other C is Tage Thompson.

 

[dotcommunism]

I don't think most people have a problem with it. They have a problem with some games being worth 2 points and some games being worth 3. Going to the 3-2-1-0 model fix this and would also make teams push for the win when the game is tied with a couple minutes left rather than just skating around and waiting for OT like so many teams seem to do.

I don't care for that either, but I absolutely do have a problem with giving teams full credit (or full credit excepting a tiebreaker) for what is essentially a gimmick. 3-on-3 might be a better gimmick than the shootout, but that's still what it is.

 

[Gabrielor]

I don't think most people have a problem with it. They have a problem with some games being worth 2 points and some games being worth 3. Going to the 3-2-1-0 model fix this and would also make teams push for the win when the game is tied with a couple minutes left rather than just skating around and waiting for OT like so many teams seem to do.


He is absolutely killing my fantasy team right now. Thankfully my other C is Tage Thompson.

Trade him for Tuch and Krebs.

 

[Ehran]

Man, Vancouver looks bad tonight against NYR.

 

[Jacob582]

Two games on tonight. I thought I would watch a little.

One is blacked out for me and the other in on TNT. I only have ESPN+.

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Sittin around with a podcast going and I hear “no Eichel got dropped in my league”.

I’m not petty but it feels good some times.

 

[Jim Bob]

Buckley: Why Marty Walsh is a good choice to lead the NHLPA

U.S. Labor Secretary Marty Walsh is reported to be the next head of the NHLPA. Three things you should know about him — beyond his resume.

theathletic.com

 

[Jim Bob]