Around The League - 2021 offseason part III

[Goptor]

a fun article if you hate the rangers

Which Metropolitan team got worse in the offseason?

I question whether that author saw the Rangers last season. They had arguably the worst bottom 6 in the league. Their forwards group was so barren that they protected Kevin Rooney.

The tough players they picked up are better than Howden, Di Giuseppe, etc. There is no question they are better than last year. The issue is that they could have gotten better players with their cap space than the ones they got.

 

[Hisch13r]

I question whether that author saw the Rangers last season. They had arguably the worst bottom 6 in the league. Their forwards group was so barren that they protected Kevin Rooney.

The tough players they picked up are better than Howden, Di Giuseppe, etc. There is no question they are better than last year. The issue is that they could have gotten better players with their cap space than the ones they got.

Losing a legitimate first line caliber played in Buchnevich is a much bigger hit than tinkering with the bottom of their lineup. Their improvements will come from Panarin not missing 25% of the year, Zibanejad not dealing with Covid effects to start the year, progression from the young guys, and Gallant. On paper that roster is not an improvement

 

[Zajacs Bowl Cut]

I question whether that author saw the Rangers last season. They had arguably the worst bottom 6 in the league. Their forwards group was so barren that they protected Kevin Rooney.

The tough players they picked up are better than Howden, Di Giuseppe, etc. There is no question they are better than last year. The issue is that they could have gotten better players with their cap space than the ones they got.

they traded Buchnevich who is a legit 1st line winger for basically nothing

they signed and traded for a bunch of grinders

Panarin should be healthy which obviously helps but I still don't see them as a good team unless Kakko/Laf make large strides forward. They don't have a lot of scoring depth.

 

[MartyOwns]

uhh ohhhhh spadooty-ohhs

 

[BurntToast]

Losing a legitimate first line caliber played in Buchnevich is a much bigger hit than tinkering with the bottom of their lineup. Their improvements will come from Panarin not missing 25% of the year, Zibanejad not dealing with Covid effects to start the year, progression from the young guys, and Gallant. On paper that roster is not an improvement

Yeah, but we are also assuming that they won’t regress under Galant. Quinn may have struggled with the prospects but he got every ounce of juice out of his vets. Zibanejad‘s best years are under Quinn. Buch played really well under Quinn, Fox progressed. It will be interesting to see.

 

[Brodeur]

Evander Kane's relationship with Sharks teammates and the organization may be irreparable

Not really a revelation, but Sharks beat writer has an article on The Athletic about Evander Kane being a locker room poison before the recent gambling allegations came out. Says that multiple players went to management to express their frustrations about Kane. Article also mentions that Kane might have been a bad influence on Timo Meier who is described as Kane's only friend in the locker room.

 

[Lou is God]

Evander Kane's relationship with Sharks teammates and the organization may be irreparable

Not really a revelation, but Sharks beat writer has an article on The Athletic about Evander Kane being a locker room poison before the recent gambling allegations came out. Says that multiple players went to management to express their frustrations about Kane. Article also mentions that Kane might have been a bad influence on Timo Meier who is described as Kane's only friend in the locker room.

I read that too and wonder if we were interested in Meier maybe these rumblings made it to Fitzie's ears, remember Kevin Weekes hinted strongly that a deal between us and the Sharks was imminent and then it cooled off.

 

[Brodeur]

I read that too and wonder if we were interested in Meier maybe these rumblings made it to Fitzie's ears, remember Kevin Weekes hinted strongly that a deal between us and the Sharks was imminent and then it cooled off.

The Merkley/Jaros trade happened a couple days later, unless there was another tweet that specifically mentioned Meier. Elliotte Friedman mentioned in his last column that he was told that the Sharks weren't really dangling Meier even though he had heard/guessed otherwise.

But reading the article on Kane reminded me of this beer league teammate I hated. The guy probably had the most pure talent on the team but was off in his own world. I had a terrible season in net since I was distracted arguing with him every game, it was almost like I was playing against him as much as the actual opponent.

 

[Lou is God]

The Merkley/Jaros trade happened a couple days later, unless there was another tweet that specifically mentioned Meier. Elliotte Friedman mentioned in his last column that he was told that the Sharks weren't really dangling Meier even though he had heard/guessed otherwise.

But reading the article on Kane reminded me of this beer league teammate I hated. The guy probably had the most pure talent on the team but was off in his own world. I had a terrible season in net since I was distracted arguing with him every game, it was almost like I was playing against him as much as the actual opponent.

Nah, that wasn't the trade Weekes was referring too because a couple days later when asked about it he said in so many words it didn't go down.

 

[Lou is God]

@Brodeur

 

[Blackjack]

Man, I feel bad for San Jose fans. It feels like that team can't even rebuild because its contracts are so bad. They need to wait for years for some of them to come off the books, and then they can start rebuilding. Unreal.

In another article dom had them with 3 of the 10 worst contracts in the league (Couture, Karlsson, and Vlasic). Can you imagine having 30% of the top 10 worst contracts in the league?

 

[Devs3cups]

uhh ohhhhh spadooty-ohhs

No shit lol. Who doesn't? Sign the contract and help your team get there. They have good pieces imo, the D is suspect, but I think they can figure it out.

 

[Lou is God]

Man, I feel bad for San Jose fans. It feels like that team can't even rebuild because its contracts are so bad. They need to wait for years for some of them to come off the books, and then they can start rebuilding. Unreal.

In another article dom had them with 3 of the 10 worst contracts in the league (Couture, Karlsson, and Vlasic). Can you imagine having 30% of the top 10 worst contracts in the league?

They really are some of the best fans in the league, I went to a playoff game about 5 years ago at the Shark Tank and it was a blast, it's hard to believe this is the Sharks 30th season.

 

[Hisch13r]

No shit lol. Who doesn't? Sign the contract and help your team get there. They have good pieces imo, the D is suspect, but I think they can figure it out.

He’s probably trying to get a deal that’ll get him out of there as soon as possible. That defense is more than suspect and they added one of the worst contracts in the league and then also Tucker Poolman at 2.5x4. They’re a joke.

 

[ZachaFlockaFlame]

Man, I feel bad for San Jose fans. It feels like that team can't even rebuild because its contracts are so bad. They need to wait for years for some of them to come off the books, and then they can start rebuilding. Unreal.

In another article dom had them with 3 of the 10 worst contracts in the league (Couture, Karlsson, and Vlasic). Can you imagine having 30% of the top 10 worst contracts in the league?

Still wild they didn’t win one cup at least with the teams they’ve had, the contracts are the price of them being an elite team for about 10-12 years.

 

[Eggtimer]

Regarding Pettersson - What happened to the days when a player signed with his team that drafted him and tried his best to win with the team they are on ?
I get wanting to win but not the way it seems that Kaprizov and Pettersson and others want to . You see it happen in the NBA all the time. Elite players moving all over the place to chase a contending team. I must be too old-fashioned as I think you should be somewhat loyal to your team and try to help your team win. throughout your career. That's what Fitz is trying to build . A family of team mates that work together to accomplish the same goal. I don't know ,I just find it somewhat greedy. Unless you can see the writing on the wall where a team is ran by a bunch of idiots and you are wasting your time.

 

[Hisch13r]

Regarding Pettersson - What happened to the days when a player signed with his team that drafted him and tried his best to win with the team they are on ?
I get wanting to win but not the way it seems that Kaprizov and Pettersson and others want to . You see it happen in the NBA all the time. Elite players moving all over the place to chase a contending team. I must be too old-fashioned as I think you should be somewhat loyal to your team and try to help your team win. throughout your career. That's what Fitz is trying to build . A family of team mates that work together to accomplish the same goal. I don't know ,I just find it somewhat greedy. Unless you can see the writing on the wall where a team is ran by a bunch of idiots and you are wasting your time.

Teams are rarely ever loyal to players. Players should be looking out for themselves. Vancouver is ran like an absolute dumpster fire and I'd want out of there as soon as possible. Kaprizov supposedly has an offer for more money back home. Why would he want to stay in a place that is going to be in complete cap hell in years 2-4 of his deal and make less money?