Around the League XXXIV: Offseason

[BK]

Cross your fingers...

This would be amazing. There is a good chance a team would be more willing to take Seabrook as the floor would shoot up as well.

 

[SAADfather]

With all the inflated contracts kids have been getting and some big time UFA's coming up that could be a game changer if true.

 

[JaegerDice]

With all the inflated contracts kids have been getting and some big time UFA's coming up that could be a game changer if true.

Yeah, suddenly all the worry that Toronto can't afford their big three quiets down.

 

[Panzerspitze]

Not so good that the other teams get to keep their own talent and remain competitive, while this expensive "core" continues to regress.

 

[CallMeShaft]

Not only does this give us more cap space, but it also means that a few budget teams will be looking to make the cap floor without paying more in real dollars. That Hossa contract got a lot easier and cheaper to trade away.

 

[JaegerDice]

Not only does this give us more cap space, but it also means that a few budget teams will be looking to make the cap floor without paying more in real dollars. That Hossa contract got a lot easier and cheaper to trade away.

I don't think they ever trade the Hossa contract. I think McDonough would be against it from a PR standpoint.

 

[BK]

I don't think they ever trade the Hossa contract. I think McDonough would be against it from a PR standpoint.

McDonough needs to stay away from hockey ops if things like this are true.

 

[TorMenT]

Maybe I'm missing it, but if Hossa is on LTIR, why would we need to trade his contract?

 

[JaegerDice]

Maybe I'm missing it, but if Hossa is on LTIR, why would we need to trade his contract?

In the off-season there is no LTIR. You put Hossa on LTIR the first game of the season.

And you can't be beyond a certain level over the cap in the off-season.

 

[Blackhawkswincup]

This would be amazing. There is a good chance a team would be more willing to take Seabrook as the floor would shoot up as well.

Teams would look for overpaid NHL talent not guys like Seabrook to reach cap floor

 

[LDF]

Teams would look for overpaid NHL talent not guys like Seabrook to reach cap floor

unless the pkg with Seabs is vastly one sided with additional perks to make the deal.

 

[BobbyJet]

Plenty of scrapping going on in the NHL these days. More fights in the Dallas/Edmonton game today. Hope the do-gooders aren't too offended.

 

[JaegerDice]

Between Calgary, Detroit, Edmonton and Dallas, why is it always the teams playing middling or bad at the moment that tend to engage in nonsense?

I wonder how many fights Tampa and St. Louis have bothered to partake in thus far this year. Or are they too busy being good at hockey to resort to stupidity?

 

[BobbyJet]

Between Calgary, Detroit, Edmonton and Dallas, why is it always the teams playing like **** at the moment that tend to engage in nonsense?

I wonder how many fights Tampa and St. Louis have bothered to partake in thus far this year. Or are they too busy being good at hockey to resort to stupidity?

Passion can't be measured with numbers. I know some people would rather this game have no physicality at all. It would be a great way to empty the stands.

 

[JaegerDice]

Passion can't be measured with numbers. I know some people would rather this game have no physicality at all. It would be a great way to empty the stands.

Winning hockey games, playoff games and Stanley cups fills stands.

The Blackhawks had been just fine as far as selling out despite being towards the bottom of the league in fights almost every year. Almost like... that's not what people pay to see?

I'd rather my team be high in the standings and contending for a cup than be the team that fights a bunch out of frustration over their own failures and futility.

Nobody is saying get rid of hitting or physicality.

Idiots throwing sloppy haymakers while trying to balance on ice is neither entertaining nor impactful on the end goal of winning.

If I want to watch fighting, I'll buy a UFC or Boxing PPV to watch people that are actually good at it.

 

[BobbyJet]

Anyone see that two-hander by Gudas last night? That's what needs to be out of the game and if fighting was ever banned, we'd see a lot more of that dangerous stickwork and cheap shots.

I know I am wasting my breath with some folks. Even Gretzky says fighting should be part of it.... as is the case with an overwhelming majority of players who reach the NHL level.

 

[JaegerDice]

This is a baseless counter-factual.

1) Fighting has never been banned so we have no idea what will happen if it's gone.

2) Fighting doesn't exist in most leagues other than the NHL, and is heavily penalized with misconducts and suspensions when it does happen in those leagues. There is no endemic of cheap-shots in other leagues.

3) The idea that players need police themselves is an indictment of the referees. If refs called the rule-book, the cheap-shots would go away.

4) Gudas is getting suspended. If you think that's not enough of a deterrent, then suspend him longer.

Fighting is not this deeply important element of hockey. Even Ken Dryden, who #PlayedDaGame pointed out in his book that fighting in the 70s was very rare, and provides the numbers to back it up. It wasn't til th 80s, when teams started wasting roster spots on goons did it become common. The NHL made fighting a part of the game in very recent history by a) failing to call the rules effectively and consistently and b) by bringing in players that bring nothing but fighting to the table. Fighting became a way for low-skill plugs to keep their jobs, and they did everything in their power to fight as much as possible to make their jobs seem valuable.

Thankfully, the NHL is doing the right thing and doing it smartly. They're never going to outright ban fighting, there'd be too much blowback from meatballs in the media and fans.

So they're just eliminating fighting gradually with rule changes in the feeder leagues, making equipment like visors (and eventually full face shields, book it) mandatory, etc. In not too many years, the league will be full of kids who have never fought, aren't comfortable fighting, have no interest in fighting... and the game will be far better for it.

I understand why Gretzky believes fighting is important. Because he played in a time when it was common.

Just because something was does not mean it need continue be. We can evolve. We can improve. We can correct that which sullies the game.

 

[JaegerDice]

I take an odd amount of pleasure in watching the Oilers underperform.

I think it's still lingering irritation that they 'won' the McDavid lottery.

 

[SAADfather]

Never really had any issue with the Oilers. McDavid is so god damn exciting to watch so I would rather them be doing well and going deep.

 

[RayP]

I take an odd amount of pleasure in watching the Oilers underperform.

I think it's still lingering irritation that they 'won' the McDavid lottery.

The Habs do that for me, especially when Price is scuffling.


Their fans being the source for why.

 

[LDF]

This is a baseless counter-factual.

1) Fighting has never been banned so we have no idea what will happen if it's gone.

2) Fighting doesn't exist in most leagues other than the NHL, and is heavily penalized with misconducts and suspensions when it does happen in those leagues. There is no endemic of cheap-shots in other leagues.

3) The idea that players need police themselves is an indictment of the referees. If refs called the rule-book, the cheap-shots would go away.

4) Gudas is getting suspended. If you think that's not enough of a deterrent, then suspend him longer.

Fighting is not this deeply important element of hockey. Even Ken Dryden, who #PlayedDaGame pointed out in his book that fighting in the 70s was very rare, and provides the numbers to back it up. It wasn't til th 80s, when teams started wasting roster spots on goons did it become common. The NHL made fighting a part of the game in very recent history by a) failing to call the rules effectively and consistently and b) by bringing in players that bring nothing but fighting to the table. Fighting became a way for low-skill plugs to keep their jobs, and they did everything in their power to fight as much as possible to make their jobs seem valuable.

Thankfully, the NHL is doing the right thing and doing it smartly. They're never going to outright ban fighting, there'd be too much blowback from meatballs in the media and fans.

So they're just eliminating fighting gradually with rule changes in the feeder leagues, making equipment like visors (and eventually full face shields, book it) mandatory, etc. In not too many years, the league will be full of kids who have never fought, aren't comfortable fighting, have no interest in fighting... and the game will be far better for it.

I understand why Gretzky believes fighting is important. Because he played in a time when it was common.

Just because something was does not mean it need continue be. We can evolve. We can improve. We can correct that which sullies the game.

my opinion is that of a fan. with that said, i think the possibility of a fight is needed. to really neutralize the goonery. perfect example is gudas hit.... yeah that type of goonery will be dealt with by the league. but i still expected some sort of a retaliation. however i can see that maybe both teams did not have that kind of mentality and i can see how they, want to let the league deal with it.

 

[BobbyJet]

Gudas gets 10 games and it looks good on him.

 

[b1e9a8r5s]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but here's an article looking back at Hawkvision and old man Wirtz.

https://deadspin.com/in-unloving-memory-of-hawkvision-a-low-point-in-sports-1820556383

 

[LDF]

I wasn't sure where to put this, but here's an article looking back at Hawkvision and old man Wirtz.

https://deadspin.com/in-unloving-memory-of-hawkvision-a-low-point-in-sports-1820556383

excellent find

 

[x Tame Impala]

Great article