Around the League v2: Everyone Is Getting Fired!

[Mr Hockey]

That Petterssen is light, you just touch him and he goes down, has to put some offseason weight, future star!

 

[Jozay]

That Petterssen is light, you just touch him and he goes down, has to put some offseason weight, future star!

Thats disgusting

 

[deletethis]

The goaltending equipment changes and maybe expansion has done it's part to increase scoring. There's been very little talk about how there is a large number of players at more than a PPG pace this season. This season there are close to 50 such players. Last season there were about 24 players. In 2016-17, there were 9 PPG players.

In 2016-17, there were zero 50 goal scorers, 3 40 goal scorers. In 2017-18, there were zero 50 goal scorers (Ovechkin, 49), 7 40 goal scorers. This season, there are at least 10 players on pace for 50 goals and at least 20 on pace for 40 goals.

 

[IBeL34f]

The goaltending equipment changes and maybe expansion has done it's part to increase scoring. There's been very little talk about how there is a large number of players at more than a PPG pace this season. This season there are close to 50 such players. Last season there were about 24 players. In 2016-17, there were 9 PPG players.

In 2016-17, there were zero 50 goal scorers, 3 40 goal scorers. In 2017-18, there were zero 50 goal scorers (Ovechkin, 49), 7 40 goal scorers. This season, there are at least players on pace for 50 goals and at least 20 on pace for 40 goals.

It kind of frustrates me that the League installs a salary cap, and then deliberately focuses on making rule changes that increase scoring - Increased scoring leads to higher contracts, which doesn't jive all that well with a hard cap system (even if it is rising constantly).

A lot of RFAs are going to get paid for their ridiculous numbers this year.

 

[notDatsyuk]

It kind of frustrates me that the League installs a salary cap, and then deliberately focuses on making rule changes that increase scoring - Increased scoring leads to higher contracts, which doesn't jive all that well with a hard cap system (even if it is rising constantly).

A lot of RFAs are going to get paid for their ridiculous numbers this year.

Whether you score 30 goals or 60, if you are still 20th in the league in goals, you probably won't get twice as much money. Personally, I'm glad to see the scoring up, as it's an indication that the game is opening up, allowing the skilled players to excel.

 

[IBeL34f]

Whether you score 30 goals or 60, if you are still 20th in the league in goals, you probably won't get twice as much money. Personally, I'm glad to see the scoring up, as it's an indication that the game is opening up, allowing the skilled players to excel.

Twice as much money? No, certainly not. But I would pretty much guarantee that, regardless of where you fall in League scoring, you're getting significantly more money scoring 60 goals than you are scoring 30 goals. I certainly believe Marner gets more money if he puts up 100+ points this year than if he put up ~80 points - It puts him in a completely different tier of comparable players at the time of signing the contract.

I don't look at this increase in scoring as a sign of the game "opening up", though. It's not like they took away the 2-line pass here - They adjusted a goalie's ability to make a save relative to previous seasons, and, as a result, many players League-wide are seeing sizable increases in their production.

Don't get me wrong, it doesn't bother me to see scoring up. It only bothers me a bit that the League made it difficult for teams to hold onto expensive cores by implementing a hard salary cap, but then bases all of its rule changes on increasing offensive production, which has real potential to drive up the cost of contracts (which is always dangerous in a hard-cap setting).

 

[Cor]

Habs waived Ouellet

Bad move.

I’d waive Holl or Marincin to claim him

 

[deletethis]

Detroit bought out Ouellet in July and Montreal are giving up on him December. Something's up.

 

[Mr Hockey]

 

[notDatsyuk]

Twice as much money? No, certainly not. But I would pretty much guarantee that, regardless of where you fall in League scoring, you're getting significantly more money scoring 60 goals than you are scoring 30 goals. I certainly believe Marner gets more money if he puts up 100+ points this year than if he put up ~80 points - It puts him in a completely different tier of comparable players at the time of signing the contract.

I don't look at this increase in scoring as a sign of the game "opening up", though. It's not like they took away the 2-line pass here - They adjusted a goalie's ability to make a save relative to previous seasons, and, as a result, many players League-wide are seeing sizable increases in their production.

Don't get me wrong, it doesn't bother me to see scoring up. It only bothers me a bit that the League made it difficult for teams to hold onto expensive cores by implementing a hard salary cap, but then bases all of its rule changes on increasing offensive production, which has real potential to drive up the cost of contracts (which is always dangerous in a hard-cap setting).

 

[notDatsyuk]

Twice as much money? No, certainly not. But I would pretty much guarantee that, regardless of where you fall in League scoring, you're getting significantly more money scoring 60 goals than you are scoring 30 goals. I certainly believe Marner gets more money if he puts up 100+ points this year than if he put up ~80 points - It puts him in a completely different tier of comparable players at the time of signing the contract.

I don't look at this increase in scoring as a sign of the game "opening up", though. It's not like they took away the 2-line pass here - They adjusted a goalie's ability to make a save relative to previous seasons, and, as a result, many players League-wide are seeing sizable increases in their production.

Don't get me wrong, it doesn't bother me to see scoring up. It only bothers me a bit that the League made it difficult for teams to hold onto expensive cores by implementing a hard salary cap, but then bases all of its rule changes on increasing offensive production, which has real potential to drive up the cost of contracts (which is always dangerous in a hard-cap setting).

I guess you missed my point. Whether a player scores 30 or 60, if he is still tenth in scoring, he will still be paid the tenth most (all other factors being equal).

 

[IBeL34f]

I guess you missed my point. Whether a player scores 30 or 60, if he is still tenth in scoring, he will still be paid the tenth most (all other factors being equal).

I didn't miss your point, I disagreed with it. I don't believe a 60-goal scorer is necessarily making the same as if they were a 30-goal scorer, provided their place in League scoring remains the same.

Additionally, all factors likely won't be equal, as we're not looking at this in a vacuum - Not all players in the top-20, for example, are going to be up for new contracts. Increasing point totals will drive players to push for higher payouts as they surpass their comparables. If Marner puts up ~80 points this year (conservative right now, obviously), but finishes 20th in scoring, I still expect him to use Draisaitl as a comparable when negotiating his new contract, despite the fact that Draisaitl was 8th in League scoring when he signed his current contract.

I will say, though, I hope you're right and that I'm just being a little paranoid - I hope all GMs are smart enough to recognize that there's a League-wide shift, and are able to use that to their advantage during negotiations. I'm just not certain right now that that will be the case.

 

[notDatsyuk]

I didn't miss your point, I disagreed with it. I don't believe a 60-goal scorer is necessarily making the same as if they were a 30-goal scorer, provided their place in League scoring remains the same.

Additionally, all factors likely won't be equal, as we're not looking at this in a vacuum - Not all players in the top-20, for example, are going to be up for new contracts. Increasing point totals will drive players to push for higher payouts as they surpass their comparables. If Marner puts up ~80 points this year (conservative right now, obviously), but finishes 20th in scoring, I still expect him to use Draisaitl as a comparable when negotiating his new contract, despite the fact that Draisaitl was 8th in League scoring when he signed his current contract.

I will say, though, I hope you're right and that I'm just being a little paranoid - I hope all GMs are smart enough to recognize that there's a League-wide shift, and are able to use that to their advantage during negotiations. I'm just not certain right now that that will be the case.

I'll give you a very simple example. Say that last year, McDavid led the league in scoring with 50 goals, and Matthews was second with 45. This year, McDavid leads with 80, and Matthews is second with 75. So can Matthews go to management and say "this year I scored 50% more than McDavid last year, so since he made 12M last year, I should get 18M this year"? I think management will look at it and say "you were still second in scoring, so you should get 11.5M".

Again, for simplicity's sake, ignoring everything else.

Actually, under those circumstances, I expect Matthews's agent to say just that, and the Leafs to say just that, and go from there.

 

[CelticDruid]

Bergeron could be out for the season, evaluation in two weeks. Doesn't look good. Season-ending surgery for his shoulder. Big blow to the Bruins.

 

[IBeL34f]

I'll give you a very simple example. Say that last year, McDavid led the league in scoring with 50 goals, and Matthews was second with 45. This year, McDavid leads with 80, and Matthews is second with 75. So can Matthews go to management and say "this year I scored 50% more than McDavid last year, so since he made 12M last year, I should get 18M this year"? I think management will look at it and say "you were still second in scoring, so you should get 11.5M".

Again, for simplicity's sake, ignoring everything else.

Actually, under those circumstances, I expect Matthews's agent to say just that, and the Leafs to say just that, and go from there.

I think you're over-simplifying it. Especially since you're using such gross exaggerations with the values - I'm not implying that 50% more production means 50% more pay, simply that increase in production will lead to increase in pay. We see the same thing with cap percentages all the time, where player salaries are already rising as the cap does.
If Matthews puts up 75 goals this year, I expect him to not only ask for more than McDavid, but to actually likely receive it.

Again, I hope you're right, I'm just not convinced. We'll find out for sure in July.

 

[Mr Hockey]

Bergeron could be out for the season, evaluation in two weeks. Doesn't look good. Season-ending surgery for his shoulder. Big blow to the Bruins.

oh boy! that's going to hurt the Bruins playoff chances, big time

 

[Nineteen67]

Bergeron could be out for the season, evaluation in two weeks. Doesn't look good. Season-ending surgery for his shoulder. Big blow to the Bruins.

That’s bad news.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Sucks when players are hurt. Beyond not wanting most players to miss time due to injury, I don't want to beat Boston when they're down their #1C. That'd be so unsatisfactory. I hope he comes back this year.

 

[Gabriel426]

oh boy! that's going to hurt the Bruins playoff chances, big time

I hope they make the playoffs, with their luck, they might just end up drafting Jack Hughes.

 

[BertCorbeau]

Sucks for the B's .. And while it helps the Leafs it would have been nice if the Leafs faced the B's in the playoffs with healthy rosters for an even argument.

Oh well!

 

[Trapper]

Sucks for the B's .. And while it helps the Leafs it would have been nice if the Leafs faced the B's in the playoffs with healthy rosters for an even argument.

Oh well!

I always like facing and beating the full compliment. Don’t like injuries to anyone or team.
No excuses. And if we meet them in the playoffs I want to beat them at full strength. Exercise the demons.

 

[AppsSyl]

Bergeron could be out for the season, evaluation in two weeks. Doesn't look good. Season-ending surgery for his shoulder. Big blow to the Bruins.

If that ends up being the case, I could see them missing the playoffs this year. They have already dug themselves a bit of a hole in the standings. Sabres or Habs would make an entertaining series in the 1st rd as well.

 

[nobody]

Buffalol. I still think they will miss the playoffs this year. Their winning streak was as flukey as they come. Take that away and they are a sub .500 team.

 

[Leafs at Knight]

So you're saying Buffalo's 10 game streak wasn't sustainable? Crazy stuff

 

[CantLoseWithMatthews]