Around the League - 2023/24

[expatriatedtexan]

I feel like I keep hearing 2 years is the average life of a HC in the NHL.

Can't say that I've minded having the stability of Bednar all these years. It's almost startling to think he's now one of the most senior HCs in the league, but it's been extremely well deserved.

 

[henchman21]

I feel like I keep hearing 2 years is the average life of a HC in the NHL.

Can't say that I've minded having the stability of Bednar all these years. It's almost startling to think he's now one of the most senior HCs in the league, but it's been extremely well deserved.

Third most tenured in the league after Cooper and Sullivan. The NHL coaching cycle is a meat grinder. Only 7 coaches currently in the positions have been with their orgs for more than 2 seasons and that includes St Louis who was a Feb hire. Hakstol has only completed 3 and he's likely to be canned.

 

[ABasin]

Third most tenured in the league after Cooper and Sullivan. The NHL coaching cycle is a meat grinder. Only 7 coaches currently in the positions have been with their orgs for more than 2 seasons and that includes St Louis who was a Feb hire. Hakstol has only completed 3 and he's likely to be canned.

The top 3 guys have all won Cups.

Kind of crazy that Keefe is now 5th on the list, given the franchise, pressure there, etc.

 

[Balthazar]

The top 3 guys have all won Cups.

Kind of crazy that Keefe is now 5th on the list, given the franchise, pressure there, etc.

He got a free extra year because Dubas got fired before him.

 

[Pokecheque]

People don't realize how hard it is to get rid of old players with sky high AAV, full NMC and still signed long term. These players are on the decline and cap space is very valuable.

The fact that the Sharks managed to find someone to take EK and only retain 10% is a huge win.

Then Grier traded Hertl with his awful, awful contract and two 3rd picks for a 1st. Only 17% retention??

Who cares if they no longer have any retention slot, those contracts are gone so they can rebuild properly. That's A+ GM'ing in my book.

I wouldn't call it "A-plus" but I agree their backs were kind of against the wall there.

Doug Wilson really dug that team into a giant hole once they essentially aged out of contention. Also, I think they had a choice to keep either Pavelski or Couture, and in hindsight they chose wrong.

 

[henchman21]

The top 3 guys have all won Cups.

Kind of crazy that Keefe is now 5th on the list, given the franchise, pressure there, etc.

Yup... win a Cup and you typically get an extra couple years. Doesn't stick around forever though ala Berube. Still have to be successful or have the last name Sullivan.

This is Keefe's ride or die year. If they win, he gets the free pass for a few years. If they don't he will be fired. As @Balthazar stated, Dubas getting the ax bought him a year too. I expect the top 3 won't change, but Rod the Bod, Keefe and Hakstol are all gone this summer. St Louis will have to show progress next season, but will have all of next season.

 

[Pokecheque]

Really? They'd shaft Brind'Amour this year?

 

[MacKaRant]

It's gonna be Blizzard

Bednar's first professional hockey experience was as a defenseman on the now defunct ECHL team Huntington Blizzard. He was a -82 for the season.

 

[Balthazar]

St Louis will have to show progress next season, but will have all of next season.

Not that it means much these days but they just re-upped him for 2 extra years at the end of the season. They plan on keeping him for a while.

 

[henchman21]

Not that it means much these days but they just re-upped him for 2 extra years at the end of the season. They plan on keeping him for a while.

I think we've had 3 coaches fired this season where their extensions haven't even started yet. It means nothing.

MSL has to get them in contention to the playoffs next year and he'll stick around for another. He gets them to ~90 points or so and he'll be fine. Another 76 point season will have him fired.

 

[Pokecheque]

It's gonna be Blizzard

I love Blizzards. I usually go for the classic Heath but the cookie dough ones are good too.

 

[henchman21]

Really? They'd shaft Brind'Amour this year?

His contract is up and Dundon is notoriously cheap and hates term. He's gonna end up in Seattle.

 

[Balthazar]

That's....not a lot of fans

 

[Pokecheque]

His contract is up and Dundon is notoriously cheap and hates term. He's gonna end up in Seattle.

Ahhhhhh, true, can't argue that.

Seattle would be interesting, I could totally see that.

 

[GeoRox89]

That's....not a lot of fans

Pretty sure there were more fans than that at the red carpet before doors opening for banner night in 2022

 

[Pokecheque]

That's....not a lot of fans

Not a big deal, news of the relocation is still fairly recent, events have been unfolding at lightning speed, the team literally doesn't have a name, colors, nothing. Is this even a formal fan event?

 

[The Moops]

Not a big deal, news of the relocation is still fairly recent, events have been unfolding at lightning speed, the team literally doesn't have a name, colors, nothing. Is this even a formal fan event?

I never heard anything in the local news or anything, not sure how people even heard about this. Plus it's the middle of a school/work day on Wednesday

 

[Balthazar]

 

[SirLoinOfCloth]

Must have been a turbulent flight, or something.

 

[S E P H]

That's....not a lot of fans

NHL is pretty much nonexistent in places where there are no major hockey teams. Utah Grizzlies for how good they are, and draw pretty well, don't really attract most fans akin to Seattle Thunderbirds before the Kraken. Good for a small percentage of the population for sure, but not a wide-range spread. So picture places like Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, and many states between there having practically zero hockey culture. I think I last saw that Mississippi in particular only has like 246 registered USA players based on the data from 2021-22. Arkansas has 366 players, but a state that has NHL teams like Tennessee and North Carolina have 5,000 and 7,200, respectively (Florida has 20k).

 

[henchman21]

People just can’t wait to shit on SLC?

 

[Balthazar]

People just can’t wait to shit on SLC?

No one is shitting on them

See? Plenty of people showed up

 

[henchman21]

No one is shitting on them

See? Plenty of people showed up

You had a post saying not many fans hours before the event was even to start…

 

[BobRossColton]

That's going to be an up close and noisy home crowd

 

[Gatorbait19]

It was pretty clear from the way Bettman continuously interrupted Meruelo and would not allow him to speak at the press conference that he was done in the NHL.

He should be, but I don’t think he’s done. He made like $900m on the Yotes in 5 years. So he’s going to find a way to get the expansion team, even if purely for financial reasons. I think the inclusion of the clause that allows him to add other potential owners furthers that, and the NHL wanted that clause hoping the other owner(s) would take over from Merulo.