Around the League XXXIV: Offseason

[ChiHawks10]

I think he's been pretty good honestly.

Like Konroyd, I think the kissy faces he's making at the 4th line can be over the top at times (and feel very much like a message the FO has told them to carry out, much in the same vein as the nonsense Foley and Edzo have spouted over the years regarding players the Blackhawks want pumped or dumped on), but beyond that he's been good.

Agreed. He seems like he's made to be on TV doing what he's doing, at this point. He looks very comfortable, and he's very well spoken. He'll definitely pump the 4th line a bit, but overall his analysis is good. 1000x better than if they took some random sports analyst and stuck him on there, obviously. It's pretty damn obvious that he knows the game of hockey well.

 

[Hawkaholic]

They are pumping the 4th line up for good reason, that line has been pretty solid as of late.

 

[JaegerDice]

They are pumping the 4th line up for good reason, that line has been pretty solid as of late.

It's been fine some games, an absolute train wreck to the tune of 25% CF in others. Plus, for those who feel finishing is everything, they've contributed nothing 5v5 save one game against ARZ.

Certainly not worthy of pumping up. It's there.

I feel like the broadcast's verbal fellatio of these non-factor players is a trickle-down effect of the organization's nonsense position that the Blackhawks lost to Nashville because of a lack of 'toughness'.

 

[Hawkaholic]

It's been fine some games, an absolute train wreck to the tune of 25% CF in others. Plus, for those who feel finishing is everything, they've contributed nothing 5v5 save one game against ARZ.

Certainly not worthy of pumping up. It's there.

I feel like the broadcast's verbal ******io of these non-factor players is a trickle-down effect of the organization's nonsense position that the Blackhawks lost to Nashville because of a lack of 'toughness'.

They have had 1 bad game in the last 5 (PHI game). They have been pretty solid as of late.

For the year, Bouma and Wingels are well above 50% CF, and Hartman is getting back up there after being terrible on the Kane/Schmaltz line.

They are the least of our problems.

 

[Blue Liner]

Not surprising about Burish, I thought he'd be at least decent in that role and provide some actual insight aside from personality.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

So Rick Nash really does look like shell of his former self at this point

NYR outside of Jagr in past 20 years seems to be were stars go to fade away

Nash has just 3 goals and 3 assists in 16 games this year

In other Rangers struggles. Vesey has just 2 goals and an assist in 16 games while being a -4

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Andrei Vasilevskiy is turning into a star

12-1-1 on year with 2.41 GAA and .928 sv pct

TB looks amazing this year

 

[LordKOTL]

Not surprising about Burish, I thought he'd be at least decent in that role and provide some actual insight aside from personality.

Can I just say that, barring Weiderman/Murray moving to TV simulcast, If Eddie O goes national I'd like to see what Burish can do as a color commentator over Konroyd.

 

[Blue Liner]

Can I just say that, barring Weiderman/Murray moving to TV simulcast, If Eddie O goes national I'd like to see what Burish can do as a color commentator over Konroyd.

I'd like to see anybody but Konroyd. He's a nice guy, he's just not very good at this particular job, for a multitude of reasons.

 

[CourtneyDagger50]

I'd like to see anybody but Konroyd. He's a nice guy, he's just not very good at this particular job, for a multitude of reasons.

Agreed. It is almost hard to listen to him

 

[SAADfather]

Not a great look for McPhee

 

[x Tame Impala]

Wow. What a dirtbag move by McPhee and the Vegas FO

 

[SAADfather]

Wow. What a dirtbag move by McPhee and the Vegas FO

And the kicker there is Ship just signed with SKA to join fellow Vegas prospect Nikita Gusev. I'm sure Ship is going to be filling his ear with all nice things about Vegas management.

 

[JaegerDice]

Great article in The Athletic about analyzing hockey by a guy who #PlayedDaGame

Bourne: On evaluating hockey, even the tape can lie, as our...


A sample:

There can be a defenseman who’s consistently wonderful on puck retrievals. With this skill, they can turn more pucks into D-zone exits, and in turn, more play in the opposing end, and in turn, they can end up with better possession numbers. But if that player goes back on a puck and gets crushed twice in a single shift while failing to break the puck out, most fans – and dare I say coaches, too – will get stuck on “he’s soft, he can’t break the puck out.” Then you can buy a billboard on the route of that naysayer’s daily commute, paste the positive retrieval stats in red 1,940 font … and you’ll still find their opinion stuck where it started. We fixate on big events, on the highlights, and we let them shape our opinions of those involved.

 

[Blue Liner]

Bourne is really good.

 

[JaegerDice]

Bourne is really good.

Yeah, he's great.

 

[BK]

Great article in The Athletic about analyzing hockey by a guy who #PlayedDaGame

Bourne: On evaluating hockey, even the tape can lie, as our...


A sample:

Bourne is good. He states the obvious, USE BOTH THE EYE TEST AND STATS HAND IN HAND AS TOOLS.

"Scouting matters. Analytics matter. Video matters. But they all lie to some degree, and it’s all because of these stupid, biased brains of ours."

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

Trades!

 

[x Tame Impala]

I know Vegas is on what has to be their 4th or 5th string goalie, but it looks like they're coming back down to earth. It was probably great for the new fanbase to have such a hot start but now they can start securing a good draft pick like they need

 

[SAADfather]

Neal's dive was hilarious.

 

[JaegerDice]

Ken Dryden had some fantastic words on Montreal radio about the NHL and all the former hockey players in key positions around the NHL, and problem that comes with bringing an old-school mindset to a game that has changed so much, in so many ways.

These guys played the game, but they never played THIS game. That is the key difference in all of this. THIS game is very different from the game that they played. And you know, so, yes they are true, in the bones, spirited hockey guys, but all of us need, at some point, to stand back and observe what IS.

This game is different, they never played THIS game.

I believe it was on the Mitch Melnyuk show. He's a very intelligent, forward-thinking guy.

I personally think this position applies well beyond dealing with the concussion issue, and that there are so many inherent problems with the 'played the game' appeal to authority.

EDIT:

Coincedentally, here's Ray Ferraro discussing the quote above. Still looking for the full audio from Dryden.

Ferraro: Niemi was ok....7 Years Ago

 

[DisgruntledHawkFan]

Dryden's book is a fantastic read. Guy took a year off at the age of 26 to finish his law degree. Also won the Conne Smythe before he was eligible for the Calder, which he won the following year. Won a cup and a Smythe before losing a regular season game. Played eight seasons, won the Vezina in six of them.

Just an insanely gifted individual.

 

[LDF]

Dryden's book is a fantastic read. Guy took a year off at the age of 26 to finish his law degree. Also won the Conne Smythe before he was eligible for the Calder, which he won the following year. Won a cup and a Smythe before losing a regular season game. Played eight seasons, won the Vezina in six of them.

Just an insanely gifted individual.

oh i got to get this book, he was or is among my fav's as a hockey player.

 

[Blue Liner]

Dryden's always been very bright and very aware, ahead of his time/forward thinking as JD pointed out. I also think he's right, in this case.

 

[JaegerDice]

Power Rankings: Superhero for every team

Don't care much about the order, but I enjoyed reading this list. I think he nailed more than a few of them.