Around the NHL 2019-20

[Armourboy]

Generally I try not to be too hard line on Poile's comments because just about the time you do he goes the other direction. However, in the case of his " we need to get younger " comment I'm thinking it's a bit different. Mainly that is the case because I think it's a round about way of saying " save the owners some money " without listening to the typical small non-traditional market BS.

Basically when it comes to any move and its likelihood I'd go with this line of thinking:

1. Does it make the Preds younger? If so its possible, if not try again.

2. Does it save the Preds money? If yes then its possible, if not try again.

If it doesn't fit at least one of those two then it's likely not worth thinking about. The one caveat to that I would be:

3. If age and salary are a wash but balances the team? Possible, if not try again.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Generally I try not to be too hard line on Poile's comments because just about the time you do he goes the other direction. However, in the case of his " we need to get younger " comment I'm thinking it's a bit different. Mainly that is the case because I think it's a round about way of saying " save the owners some money " without listening to the typical small non-traditional market BS.

Basically when it comes to any move and its likelihood I'd go with this line of thinking:

1. Does it make the Preds younger? If so its possible, if not try again.

2. Does it save the Preds money? If yes then its possible, if not try again.

If it doesn't fit at least one of those two then it's likely not worth thinking about. The one caveat to that I would be:

3. If age and salary are a wash but balances the team? Possible, if not try again.

Bang on. But I think #2 is probably the driver - for a lot of teams around the NHL right now. I don't have any reason to think the Preds are in any financial "difficulty" per se... but let's face it, they lost gates for what, about 10 home games last season, including playoffs, and that's what, $2M per game??? Most NHL teams, outside of a few crazy big markets, don't operate on any larger margin than this. And the prognosis for 2020-21 can't be exactly hopeful. From a business perspective, you can't imagine the team wants to spend even 1 penny more than it has to. Just maintaining the bare minimum status quo payroll is still probably a financial loss for the team with whatever reduced gates are forthcoming. I doubt they will take on a penny more than they have to.

 

[Mass]

You don't see a rag-dolling like Tampa just put on Dallas that period very often. Ouch.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Tampa is obviously the superior team. Dallas always needed a little luck and punching above their weight class here, and you can't summon that on demand. They had a good run, though.

 

[Byrddog]

The series is not over but the last two games Dallas was sure taken to school. I question there cockiness though. I understand it was important to dress Stamkos for the leadership effect but clearly even though he scored a goal he was maybe 30% of what he normally is. Khudboin has been human the last two games and the Bolts have had there way. If the Stars lose on Friday the series probably ends Saturday.

 

[Scoresberg]

Seeing these old, experienced "loser cores" like Dallas and Tampa now redeem themselves, like the Blues did last year or the Capitals a year before gives me hope that we have at least one more deep playoff run in our core group as well.

 

[Soundgarden]

Seeing these old, experienced "loser cores" like Dallas and Tampa now redeem themselves, like the Blues did last year or the Capitals a year before gives me hope that we have at least one more deep playoff run in our core group as well.

Yeah, I think a lot of the despair around our core is over blown. Only Josi and Ekholm are 30. I think there's a huge what have you done for me lately mentality on here, combined with a minuscule attention span.
You hear a lot of "Matt Duchene SUCKED!!!!! Is Nashville going to trade him?" Why? He hasn't even played a full season here and was hovering around a point per game for the first half of the season.

We've still got a few years to put it together before it all goes to shit I think and if it does we have valuable trade pieces to rebuild.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Yeah I think we're sort of at an inflection point where we could end up like Minnesota and be stock in mediocrity or we could end up like any of the teams that have turned the ship around into being contenders again. If we get a couple of our prospects to hit in the near future and make the right moves I think we're right back to being one of the better teams. Truthfully we might not even need that if Johansen and Duchene could play to their potential.

 

[PredsV82]

Pavelski just became the all time leading US born playoff goal scorer.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Ugh Corey Perry with his second of the night for the 2OT winner. Hopefully the Bolts can close it out Monday.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Oh look Perry scored.....FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

 

[Scoresberg]

And it had to be Corey f***ing Perry...

 

[BigFatCat999]

Now show Perry crying on the bench!

 

[Armourboy]

Tampa win! Thank God.

 

[Marty Party]

Don't care about the covid cup this year. Sorry.

Congrats to Tampa I reckon.

 

[GoldOnGold]

Good work Tampa, now Dallas goes home!

 

[Armourboy]

Don't care about the covid cup this year. Sorry.

Congrats to Tampa I reckon.

I didn't either, I was just flipping between it and other stuff when it got close to the end.

 

[BigFatCat999]

Don't care about the covid cup this year. Sorry.

Congrats to Tampa I reckon.

They won it. They deserve it.

 

[Marty Party]

They deserve it of course. It's not the same though. If the Perds won, I'd take it. It wouldn't be as special though.

 

[BigFatCat999]

They deserve it of course. It's not the same though. If the Perds won, I'd take it. It wouldn't be as special though.

The season is ova. 7 days till the draft. Oct 9th is FA Day. Let the process.....begin

 

[hockey diva]

Congratulations to TB and Byrddog.

 

[BigFatCat999]

*insert Daniel Bryan yes .gif *

 

[Predsanddead24]

Best team won it so hard to view at as some sort of tainted Covid cup. Will be interesting to see if they can keep enough of the group together to be a modern style dynasty because they definitely have that potential.

 

[Roman Yoshi]

I would argue that was a very hard cup to win. Evey team is hyper aware and focused. No going out partying before a game and breaking curfew. Everyone brought their A-game.

Good for Tampa. Good for the sport of hockey having two southern teams in it.

Also what a story for the NHL. No covid cases. Amazing work.

 

[Soundgarden]

Yeah, I would argue it was a more even playing field. Every team stopped at the same time and started up again at the same time.