Weezy
Well-Known Member
If I have to trade quality play for sideshow to woo some ignorant, fair weather fans, no thanks. I'm not interested in this sport turning into baseball with fireworks nights and bobbleheads.... But that's just my opinion.
Teams had a year to prepare to lose one player in the process, and yet some fared far better than others.
Can someone please explain to me what the heck the Panthers were thinking? Most of the teams gave Vegas deals to keep them away from certain players... who were they protecting over Marchessault?
Florida Panthers. Jonathan Marchessault would be a HUGE loss for the Panthers. Protecting defensemen Alex Petrovic and Mark Pysyk seems silly with a 30-goal scorer on tap. C-
It's not like the Panthers are known for being an extremely well run organization but dayumn...
I'm sure Chris Pronger will bring some level-headedness to the organization...
Panthers Recruit Chris Pronger To Help With Their Master Plan, Whatever That Is
Why did the Blackhawks prefer Saad to Panarin?
Saad and Panarin each has a $6 million cap charge, but Saad has four years remaining on his contract and Panarin has two left on his. The Blackhawks wanted the cost certainty.
Chicago also needed a player who could help make up for the absence of Marian Hossa, who will miss the 2017-18 season because of a skin disorder. Saad can do that with his skating and two-way game.
The Blackhawks feel that Panarin's role can eventually be filled by Alex Debrincat, a dynamic 5-foot-7 forward who led the OHL and set an Erie record with 65 goals in 63 games this season. He added 62 assists.
The big plus is that the Blackhawks know Saad well. Expect him to play with Jonathan Toews, but he has also played with Patrick Kane.
For those of us still confused about why the Blackhawks traded Panarin for Saad: https://www.nhl.com/news/heavy-day-...s-looking-different/c-290111858?tid=278542340
That stuff can often look good on paper, but not work out IRL. Time will tell. And paper is the only reasonable method of deciding anyway. I'm sure they factored the team chemistry into the equation too.
It's looking like Kronwall is nearing the end of his career. Hoping the Wings can get some more physical players in their system. He was much less physical on the ice the past couple of seasons, and I think that it showed.
This season is going to have plenty of unknowns for the Wings, and I think many other teams as well. It's been a few years, but I'm still not switched over to East mode. I'm still more familiar with many of the West teams. Gotta watch more games this year.
Bill Daily announced there will be no NHL schedule break for the 2018 Olympics. Good. The NHL players won't be missed in the Olympics. The games will still be great.
Which is why I have zero interest in Olympic hockey if the NHL doesn't go.Originally the Olympics were meant to show which nation had the greatest athletes. The best of the best.
Which is why I have zero interest in Olympic hockey if the NHL doesn't go.
What does the NHL have to say about it?
Bettman has addressed the issue several times over the past year. He said the league's owners were reluctant to take a 17-day break in February when they should be capitalizing on a dead period in other sports: the sweet spot, post-Super Bowl and pre-MLB spring training. Bettman also cited injury concerns from clubs. In essence, he said, the league doesn't get much out of it.
But wouldn't that be the case every Olympic year?
Indeed, those aren't novel concerns. That's why the crux of the issue is a power play between the NHL, NHLPA and the International Olympic Committee. The league wanted the IOC to make concessions, which it didn't. The NHLPA wanted the sides to get it done. This could be used as a bargaining chip between the union and the league when the current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2021-22 season.
Can anyone intervene?
Four agencies have tried to hash it out: the NHL, the NHLPA, the IOC and the International Ice Hockey Federation -- with no luck. The IOC has previously funded players' travel and insurance (which, in 2014, amounted to $14 million). When the IOC took that off the table, the IIHF stepped in and offered to cover $10 million. It was a nice gesture, but it didn't resolve all of the issues, including interrupting the NHL season for three weeks. The IOC issued a statement in April saying it "feels very sorry for the athletes."
What happens if a player decides to go anyway?
He'd better lay low for a while when he gets back to Toronto. This clown was hired from the London Knights, which means it was likely Mark Hunter who brought him aboard.I'd love the hear the story behind this.
"Maple Leafs scout steals, drives, crashes golf cart on drunken joyride."
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/08/2...-crashes-golf-cart-on-drunken-joyride-ny-cops
If I was a Habs fan, I'd be starting to get worried.
I know it's the preseason and all, but they can't buy a win.
Even worse, a good chunk of their best players got beat by a Leafs lineup consisting of the backup goalie, fourth-liners, and AHL'ers.
They lit him up pretty good. 5 goals on 20 shots before they gave him the hook. Looked completely lost on Nylander's goal. Had no idea where the puck was.Well flyers 1 for 1. Off to a good start in San Jose hope they keep it up.
In other news I wish Winnipeg the best with Steve mason. Looks like he's doing as good there as he did here in Philly last season.
I guess preseason is preseason. Ovi is on fire. From what I understand first player to score hat tricks in each of the first two games in 100 years.
Enter your email address to join: