Around the League, 2018-19 Edition

[Ducks DVM]

The Leafs are one piece away from being the favorites next season. Will be a lot of pressure on Freddie now

Unless that one piece is winning the Norris, you’ve got a much higher opinion of that defense than I do.

 

[dracom]

Unless that one piece is winning the Norris, you’ve got a much higher opinion of that defense than I do.

we've seen that you don't need a Norris defensemen to win the cup. If their offense is as good as people expect it to be, they should be easy favorites.

 

[Ducks DVM]

So throw him out of the league forever. Fine with me. I guess my point is if you believe in second chances this is the only way it can be done. If he were American he would have got suspended for half the season and then gotten his job right back probably just like every NFL player. It’s disgusting

Like Ray Rice?

I think with the #metoo environment it may be a little more difficult for him to get employed than it would have been a few years ago.

 

[Ducks DVM]

we've seen that you don't need a Norris defensemen to win the cup. If their offense is as good as people expect it to be, they should be easy favorites.

I’m not saying you do need a Norris defenseman to win the Cup. I’m saying that the team defense in Toronto is so bad that THEY would need that Norris level defenseman to make up for it.

 

[AngelDuck]

Like Ray Rice?

I think with the #metoo environment it may be a little more difficult for him to get employed than it would have been a few years ago.

I think Rice being caught on camera changed his situation a little

But you’re absolutely right

 

[dracom]

I’m not saying you do need a Norris defenseman to win the Cup. I’m saying that the team defense in Toronto is so bad that THEY would need that Norris level defenseman to make up for it.

I don't think their defense is really that bad. It's not great, but with that offense and if Freddy got be an above average goalie, I think they can go far in the playoffs.

 

[Ducks DVM]

I think Rice being caught on camera changed his situation a little

But you’re absolutely right

Yeah, that was kinda my point. Voynow publicly admitted in court exactly what he did. It’s not like the usual “allegedly” and “he said/she said“ thing. The media will have a field day with him. I simply don’t know what team is willing to take that PR hit.

 

[Paul4587]

I don't think their defense is really that bad. It's not great, but with that offense and if Freddy got be an above average goalie, I think they can go far in the playoffs.

It’s pretty bad. Rielly is a great offensive Dman who is decent in his own end, he’s the only top pairing level guy they have. Hainsey is 100 years old and shouldn’t be playing higher than the third pairing. Gardiner is a top pairing talent with an AHL level brain who makes costly mistakes at crucial times. Zaitsev regressed massively last year and Dermott is promising but still raw and prone to mistakes.

Pittsburgh in 2017 is the only team the last decade plus who has won without a legitimate no 1 dman and they had 2 of the best 3 centre ice men to play the game post lockout as well as Kessel anchoring his own line. Toronto’s forwards are incredibly good but they’re yet to prove they are on the level of the Pens.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

So throw him out of the league forever. Fine with me. I guess my point is if you believe in second chances this is the only way it can be done. If he were American he would have got suspended for half the season and then gotten his job right back probably just like every NFL player. It’s disgusting

The NFL shouldn't be anyone's model for anything. I believe anyone can earn a second chance, but you don't give it just because some time has passed. I DO know that domestic violence is absurdly, depressingly routine amongst Americans and aliens alike and I think the consequences should be dire, but they usually aren't. I'd say--and this is true--if we were to sign or acquire Voynov, that would be the end of my fandom. I'll know exactly what to think of the team that does bring him back, assuming he gets a visa.

 

[AngelDuck]

It’s pretty bad. Rielly is a great offensive Dman who is decent in his own end, he’s the only top pairing level guy they have. Hainsey is 100 years old and shouldn’t be playing higher than the third pairing. Gardiner is a top pairing talent with an AHL level brain who makes costly mistakes at crucial times. Zaitsev regressed massively last year and Dermott is promising but still raw and prone to mistakes.

Pittsburgh in 2017 is the only team the last decade plus who has won without a legitimate no 1 dman and they had 2 of the best 3 centre ice men to play the game post lockout as well as Kessel anchoring his own line. Toronto’s forwards are incredibly good but they’re yet to prove they are on the level of the Pens.

It depends what they get out of Marner and Nylander. If those two turn into 1st line wingers this season, I think their offense is probably right up there with those PIT teams.

Also, JT makes the team defense a lot better. Now you have Matthews and/or JT out there 2/3 of the game. Also, Kadri is an incredible 3C

They need to be shopping Kapanen and any other prospect basically for the best D they can land and should be going all in on this coming season before their young guys get paid and things get messy

Lot of pressure on Freddie now and honestly he’s the biggest question mark I have for them in the playoffs

 

[Duck Off]

f*** Canada, especially Toronto. That is all.

 

[duxfan1101]

WTF is that Matt Martin trade? Is Lou still working for Toronto or something? How do you just get rid of a cap dump like that for free?

 

[crowi]

Isles are a f***ing mess.

They just won the draft and have good prospects. Yet Lou takes his two toronto bois back, one with a huge overpaid shit deal and other one by just buying a cap dump.

 

[AngelDuck]

Isles will be in the Hughes sweepstakes for sure. I think you’ll see a full fire sale there eventually, with everything going except for Barzal

 

[crowi]

Isles will be in the Hughes sweepstakes for sure. I think you’ll see a full fire sale there eventually, with everything going except for Barzal

Yea, can't wait to see how this wheel turns as Barzal is from Vancouver. Maybe after his ELC + Bridge/RFA deal he does the same as canucks HAVE TO be going up by then.... man they're so f***ed.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

Isles will be in the Hughes sweepstakes for sure. I think you’ll see a full fire sale there eventually, with everything going except for Barzal

Poor Trotz, then again maybe its a retirement contract for him & he'll just man the Tank job & collect his paycheck. Coaches have been traded before though.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Poor Trotz, then again maybe its a retirement contract for him & he'll just man the Tank job & collect his paycheck. Coaches have been traded before though.

I'd trade RC for him in a heartbeat. I'd even throw in a Rowney to sweeten the pot.

 

[Anaheim4ever]

I'd trade RC for him in a heartbeat. I'd even throw in a Rowney to sweeten the pot.

I'd throw in some Fish Tacos as I would imagine they don't got legit tacos in Ottawa, plus a Mike Trout bobblehead doll.

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

I'd throw in some Fish Tacos as I would imagine they don't got legit tacos in Ottawa, plus a Mike Trout bobblehead doll.

I don't know. If you're going to throw in fish tacos then I'm going to have to have some Poutine coming back. I really want to try that some time. Almost sounds like a Canadian version of Animal Fries.

 

[Pennaduck]

Poor Trotz, then again maybe its a retirement contract for him & he'll just man the Tank job & collect his paycheck. Coaches have been traded before though.

I don't feel bad for Trotz. The Islanders still have a lot to work with in the top six and just added a bunch of depth forwards, plus a couple of guys that may take off this season, like Brock Nelson and Josh Ho-Sang. Even without Tavares they'll have four decent lines. This will be Trotz's first time coaching a team without a playoff caliber defense or all star level goaltending though unless I am mistaking. It's still kind of puzzling that he would leave the Caps like he did.

 

[Kalv]

I don't feel bad for Trotz. The Islanders still have a lot to work with in the top six and just added a bunch of depth forwards, plus a couple of guys that may take off this season, like Brock Nelson and Josh Ho-Sang. Even without Tavares they'll have four decent lines. This will be Trotz's first time coaching a team without a playoff caliber defense or all star level goaltending though unless I am mistaking. It's still kind of puzzling that he would leave the Caps like he did.

I don`t think so, there was a considerable money difference IIRC

 

[Ducks DVM]

I don`t think so, there was a considerable money difference IIRC

1.5M in Washington, 4M in New York. Pretty easy to understand.

 

[Kalv]

1.5M in Washington, 4M in New York. Pretty easy to understand.

Yeah that`s pretty understandable to say the least, even if we don`t take into account term

 

[AngelDuck]

1.5M in Washington, 4M in New York. Pretty easy to understand.

Yeah, you’d be out of your mind not to go somewhere else for almost 3 times the salary. I don’t care how bad that team is.

 

[Pennaduck]

I didn't realize how much more he was getting paid to go to the Islanders. That a no brainer. He'll have a chance to really cement his legacy as a top coach in this league if he can turn that team around and into a contender too.