League News: NHL Talk - (News n' Scores n' Stuff) | 2024-25 Summer Edition

[stephenball]

Fair or not, players with premier draft positions will generally get a big edge in contract negotiations while they’re young. If Laf and CMM had identical stats then Laf would get considerably more money, because you’re also paying for potential.

I think this is going to be a really good deal for the Rangers. Laf took a bit to develop (the Rangers aren’t great at developing these players), but he is looking very much like the player he was touted to be, especially in the playoffs last year. While wish nothing but bad for the Rangers, I think this is going to work out really well for them.

 

[twabby]

Didn’t you want to rush to give Sandin like 6Mx8 before the start of last season? Where’s this new found caution coming from?

Yeah that certainly isn't a take that is aging well. The idea with Sandin was to lock him up for the entirety of his 20s when (I thought) he was looking like a first pairing guy based on his play in Toronto. Obviously that is not playing out as I hoped.

The caution is coming from an asset management perspective and maximizing the team's chance at winning another Cup, not so much that the next Chychrun contract is necessarily going to become an anchor around their necks. He's a good player, and there's certainly a case to sign him long term especially if he continues to fit in this season.

I just don't think it's a slam dunk, especially after 6 games. I'm just saying let's see where the team is at closer to the TDL. If the team falls off, or Chychrun's play falls off, then it'd be wise to evaluate his long term future in DC.

I think @twabby is better than that….

That makes one of us!

 

[Ridley Simon]

15-20 to go I reckon.

Yea. You are trapped. I hate what I do, but at 55? 10yr at best.

We should only be so lucky.

Yeah. At him being as good as LaFfy. Not at the 7.5m

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Yea. You are trapped. I hate what I do, but at 55? 10yr at best.


Yeah. At him being as good as LaFfy. Not at the 7.5m

I’m just sayin, we would be lucky if he puts up big enough numbers to justify a big cap hit.

 

[qc14]

I think this is going to be a really good deal for the Rangers. Laf took a bit to develop (the Rangers aren’t great at developing these players), but he is looking very much like the player he was touted to be, especially in the playoffs last year. While wish nothing but bad for the Rangers, I think this is going to work out really well for them.

Seems like a pretty fair deal to me. Laf has been good but is he good enough to be the driver of a first or second line? And while the "he does it without PP points" does make sense that becomes a bit chicken-or-egg for me where maybe he's not good enough to be on a PP1.

Everyone always thinks they're getting the Jack Hughes deal when they go long on young players early -- there's a lot more though that end up just being completely fine, and definitely some that turn out poorly for the team.

 

[StrikingDistance]

I think @twabby is better than that….

Twabby? I was talking about everyone...including myself. We've all had a case of the hot takes.

Hell, I watched a couple of Pens games last week and after watching Eller's work, I was going to post how we should get him back as a 3rd C. Of course, I wasn't drinking enough to start the debate and argue with strangers so I slept it off. haha

 

[Ovechkins Wodka]

Devils force OT vs NYI on a late goal. They are hard to keep down.

 

[Calicaps]

Devils force OT vs NYI on a late goal. They are hard to keep down.

Not really. They still lost.

And Nash down 2-0 to the Hawks in the second. LOL! (Really enjoying the Preds suckage so far)

 

[Calicaps]

OMG... the ESPN crews on the Chicago and Edmonton games are so terrible.

 

[twabby]

Shots are 31-6 less than halfway through the EDM-PIT game.

 

[usiel]

Oils putting the shots in the Pens so far.

 

[Calicaps]

Shots are 31-6 less than halfway through the EDM-PIT game.

Hell of a performance by Pitt's young goalie. The whole game is kinda hilarious.

 

[Calicaps]

Man it sure is fun watching the Pens this year.

 

[usiel]

Man it sure is fun watching the Pens this year.

I do get the Caps vibes for them that the Caps had last year. Oilers broke it open a bit. 2-0.

 

[Calicaps]

I do get the Caps vibes for them that the Caps had last year. Oilers broke it open a bit. 2-0.

Hope not. Honestly the seem way worse than the Caps last year to me. But maybe it's wishful thinking.

 

[PlushMinus]

Pens are laughably bad. It's absolutely delightful

coach Sullivan needs to be fired. The team has some real issues - Letang and Karlsson seem cooked, too many forwards are barely NHL quality, and the goaltending is a mess. But firing the coach is always the easiest thing to try first and it seems like they have no other options anyway.

 

[Calicaps]

Dumb fight. Whatever. Let's get back to the ass-whoopin'

 

[895]

I hope the pens finish 11th in the east. Comfortably out of a playoff spot but not too good of a draft pick.

 

[Gurglesons]

Pens are laughably bad. It's absolutely delightful

coach Sullivan needs to be fired. The team has some real issues - Letang and Karlsson seem cooked, too many forwards are barely NHL quality, and the goaltending is a mess. But firing the coach is always the easiest thing to try first and it seems like they have no other options anyway.

Sullivan being fired is the last thing you’d want as a caps fan tbh.

 

[Devil Dancer]

I don't think prime Bowman could help that roster.

 

[Calicaps]

I hope the pens finish 11th in the east. Comfortably out of a playoff spot but not too good of a draft pick.

forever and ever amen!

 

[PlushMinus]

Sullivan being fired is the last thing you’d want as a caps fan tbh.

That is correct - but I think it's going to happen and as a fan of hockey I'm interested to see what kind of difference a new coach makes. The team can definitely play better but I still think there are bigger problems with the overall roster that a coaching change (probably) can't fix.

 

[Gurglesons]

That is correct - but I think it's going to happen and as a fan of hockey I'm interested to see what kind of difference a new coach makes. The team can definitely play better but I still think there are bigger problems with the overall roster that a coaching change (probably) can't fix.

I dunno. The roster is unimpressive. But Sullivan is such a dumbass I’m expecting him to completely butcher the US squad too.

 

[RedRocking]

That is correct - but I think it's going to happen and as a fan of hockey I'm interested to see what kind of difference a new coach makes. The team can definitely play better but I still think there are bigger problems with the overall roster that a coaching change (probably) can't fix.

Let’s be honest. Sullivan is just Dubas’ human shield at this point. If he fires him, then people will realize how much he screwed their roster.

The team just bleeds odd man breaks against. Their games with the Devils should be funny - nonstop breakaways!

Long season, we’ll see. But, Sid was incredible last year, and yet isn’t looking so hot thus far. Age might finally be catching up with him. Ovi was hit pretty hard around 37-38.

 

[Langway]

Sullivan being fired is the last thing you’d want as a caps fan tbh.

Dubas being fired would be it I think. That roster has hardly anyone that can defend. It's a recipe for the coach getting fired to be sure but big picture the dynamics are lapsing out. Losing such a key piece in Guentzel and then in the off-season becoming essentially a dumping ground to gain a couple of probably inconsequential second rounders seemed really odd. There's rebuilding/reloading but they're too far down to operate that way. Just a strange way of letting it run its course rather than more aggressively addressing persistent weaknesses.

I'm not sure they're a bottom five team but likely bottom ten at this rate. A new coach could get their attention back I guess but not much defensive or athletic upside in how they've been put together.