Around The NHL Discussion 2019/20 - Part III
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There is a $1.25mil performance bonus that kicks in when he reaches 10 games played. So it's just cap magic to give the Bruins more wiggle room.
Brockon
Cautiously optimistic realist when caffeinated.
I know we're only supposed to look at one year at a time, but for the 2021-22 season the Leafs salary isn't sitting much better. 12 guys signed using 68.2M space already with no starting goaltender?
I mean sure this Lehtonen signing helps them a bit this year, but that franchise is going to be toeing the cap ceiling until one of their big 3 guys making over 10 AAV leaves town...
I think Matthews is going to bolt as soon as he hits UFA. But yeah they haven’t done a great job managing the cap. Almost have to wonder if they’d have been better off passing on Tavares.
What is everyone's personal preference for restarting games?
I like best-of-5 series immediately upon return with 5 vs. 12; 6 vs. 11; 7 vs. 10; 8 vs. 9, for the rights to earn the 5-8 seeds for the standard playoff format. Meanwhile the 1-4 seeds (division winners & next 2 best conference records) would be playing exhibition games against one another so as not at a disadvantage of not playing. Four games, against the opposite conferences 4 top teams should be plenty of primer for a resumed season. If the Blues (Avs, Knights & Oilers) came back and had to play Boston, Tampa, Washington & Philly, I think all of those clubs would be ready for whoever came out of the 5-12 scrum. Could the otherwise 'safe' 5-seed get screwed out of the playoffs by losing to a 12th seed that is otherwise undeserving of the playoff field? Absolutely. But thems the breaks. There's no perfect system...but the top teams shouldn't have to knock off the rust IN the playoffs, while the teams just on the outside will be given a rightful chance to fight their way in. All the pressure in the world is on 5-8 seeds to not lose their tickets into the dance.
You could do the top-8 teams (four for each conference) in one location, and the Eastern and Western play-in series in two separate locations, similar to the NCAA regional tourneys...and maybe have the winners advance to two other cities for two more series each before heading to the Semi-Final and Final in Vegas.
I like best-of-5 series immediately upon return with 5 vs. 12; 6 vs. 11; 7 vs. 10; 8 vs. 9, for the rights to earn the 5-8 seeds for the standard playoff format. Meanwhile the 1-4 seeds (division winners & next 2 best conference records) would be playing exhibition games against one another so as not at a disadvantage of not playing. Four games, against the opposite conferences 4 top teams should be plenty of primer for a resumed season. If the Blues (Avs, Knights & Oilers) came back and had to play Boston, Tampa, Washington & Philly, I think all of those clubs would be ready for whoever came out of the 5-12 scrum. Could the otherwise 'safe' 5-seed get screwed out of the playoffs by losing to a 12th seed that is otherwise undeserving of the playoff field? Absolutely. But thems the breaks. There's no perfect system...but the top teams shouldn't have to knock off the rust IN the playoffs, while the teams just on the outside will be given a rightful chance to fight their way in. All the pressure in the world is on 5-8 seeds to not lose their tickets into the dance.
You could do the top-8 teams (four for each conference) in one location, and the Eastern and Western play-in series in two separate locations, similar to the NCAA regional tourneys...and maybe have the winners advance to two other cities for two more series each before heading to the Semi-Final and Final in Vegas.
Celtic Note
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I like the exhibition games for the top teams if they go this route. It’s interesting, because it provides an opportunity for pre-scouting amongst other things.
I like the exhibition game idea but I would add that end of the exhibitions top teams would play for position. 1 versus 2, 3 versus 4. 1 game, winner gets higher seed. Idea is that you get real intensity so you aren't behind the winner of play-in games.
you could do it like they do in Traverse City; take the standings after the round-robin to determine the top-seeds. I don't think two conference rivals would want to have to play each other in these exhibitions, because you could see some dirty play if you know there's a good shot at facing these guys in two weeks; but if STL went 0-3-1 against BOS, TAM, PHI & WASH which was the worst record of the 4-Western teams, they could have the 4th-seed as a result. I like that.
- Jul 4, 2014
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I've seen a few different ideas on the return-to-play scenario that I like, but I don't like the idea of exhibition games. I just don't see the value in them if you're going straight into a playoff situation. Based on some of the versions I've seen floating around, here is what I would like to see.
2-3 week "training camp" with full NHL rosters and 8-10 Black Aces from the AHL, including scrimmages at team discretion, in each team's home NHL city (or alternate location based on COVID restrictions) for the Top 12 teams in each conference.
Preliminary Playoff Round - Conference based, two Host Cities per conference with league supplied private charter travel between cities as required - the top team in each division based on points percentage play a best-of-5 series for determining the #1 and #2 conference seeds. the two second place teams from each division based on points percentage play a best-of-5 series for determining the #3 and #4 conference seeds. All remaining teams are seeded 5 through 12 based on points percentage, with a best-of-5 elimination round pitting 5-12, 6-11, 7-10 and 8-9. This should be wrapped up in 10 days or less.
Regular Playoff Rounds 1-3 starting 3 days after the preliminaries are completed in the same two host cities in each conference. Top 4 seeds based on preliminary round outcomes, bottom 4 seeds based on points percentage of 4 preliminary round winners from 5-12 seeds. Conference Quarterfinals is a Best-of-7. Four winners are re-seeded based on points percentage for Conference Semifinals, which is a Best-of-7. Conference Finals are Best-of-7. All series played on an alternating day basis with a fixed schedule such that only teams that eliminate an opponent early get more than one day off between series.
Stanley Cup Finals played in a fifth Host City (I would recommend Toronto) as a Best-of-7 starting 3 days after the scheduled completion of the WCF and ECF.
The time frame of this playdown from the start of "training camp" to the crowning of a Cup champion should take no more than 12 weeks due to limited travel. If you can open camps by June 15, you crown a champion shortly after Labor Day. Have free agency start September 15 with the speaking period starting the day after the Cup is awarded. Open training camps in mid-October (5-6 weeks after Cup is awarded and 30 days after free agency opens) and play the 2020-2021 season on about a month delay. Eliminate the All-Star game and the bye week, and wrap up the regular season in late April. That allows you to crown a champion next year with a full 82-game schedule and playoffs by early July. Have free agency start in 2021 on August 1 - that gives you 3-4 weeks to complete the entry and expansion drafts. Camps for the 2021-2022 season would open in mid-September as usual.
2-3 week "training camp" with full NHL rosters and 8-10 Black Aces from the AHL, including scrimmages at team discretion, in each team's home NHL city (or alternate location based on COVID restrictions) for the Top 12 teams in each conference.
Preliminary Playoff Round - Conference based, two Host Cities per conference with league supplied private charter travel between cities as required - the top team in each division based on points percentage play a best-of-5 series for determining the #1 and #2 conference seeds. the two second place teams from each division based on points percentage play a best-of-5 series for determining the #3 and #4 conference seeds. All remaining teams are seeded 5 through 12 based on points percentage, with a best-of-5 elimination round pitting 5-12, 6-11, 7-10 and 8-9. This should be wrapped up in 10 days or less.
Regular Playoff Rounds 1-3 starting 3 days after the preliminaries are completed in the same two host cities in each conference. Top 4 seeds based on preliminary round outcomes, bottom 4 seeds based on points percentage of 4 preliminary round winners from 5-12 seeds. Conference Quarterfinals is a Best-of-7. Four winners are re-seeded based on points percentage for Conference Semifinals, which is a Best-of-7. Conference Finals are Best-of-7. All series played on an alternating day basis with a fixed schedule such that only teams that eliminate an opponent early get more than one day off between series.
Stanley Cup Finals played in a fifth Host City (I would recommend Toronto) as a Best-of-7 starting 3 days after the scheduled completion of the WCF and ECF.
The time frame of this playdown from the start of "training camp" to the crowning of a Cup champion should take no more than 12 weeks due to limited travel. If you can open camps by June 15, you crown a champion shortly after Labor Day. Have free agency start September 15 with the speaking period starting the day after the Cup is awarded. Open training camps in mid-October (5-6 weeks after Cup is awarded and 30 days after free agency opens) and play the 2020-2021 season on about a month delay. Eliminate the All-Star game and the bye week, and wrap up the regular season in late April. That allows you to crown a champion next year with a full 82-game schedule and playoffs by early July. Have free agency start in 2021 on August 1 - that gives you 3-4 weeks to complete the entry and expansion drafts. Camps for the 2021-2022 season would open in mid-September as usual.
Klank Loves You
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Random thought. I'd find the argument of Sharks fans complaining about injuries reasonable, if they were not so old and injury prone.
Brockon
Cautiously optimistic realist when caffeinated.
Klank Loves You
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No, just the main forum complaining about losing Karrlson and Hertl, and Pavelski also getting hurt. It's almost like hockey is a physical game.
I do admit, we don't often mention Bozaks no-call trip that lead to a goal.
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That led to a TERRIBLE, DREADFUL, EMBARRASSINGLY BAD GOAL. If Rask just makes that save, it's all forgotten. Marchand also tripped Bo in the corner in an almost identical fashion earlier in the game, got the puck, and did nothing with it. We all forgot about it because it had no impact.
- Jul 4, 2014
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I can't excuse Rask here 100%, but the team in front of him basically quit on the play as if they expected a call.
I recall listening to SiriusXM NHL Radio the next morning and they had Brian Burke on discussing the game. He claimed to have spoken with the referee on that end of the ice (forgot who that was honestly) after the game about the non-call. As Burkie described it, he said the ref said he saw the whole thing and chose not to make a call in that situation. My belief is that the ref decided that if he called Bozak for tripping he was going to have to send Acciari off for embellishment as well for the way he through himself over after the contact, and decided to let them play on rather than stopping the game to make a 5-on-5 situation into 4-on-4.
Let's also not forget that this made it 2-0 (we were already leading) and that the Boston goal was scored later in that game on a delayed penalty. In that situation, Sunny gets his stick up on Krug, but only after Krug goes knee-on-knee with him. This was another situation where they should have sent both guys off or neither, but it went in Boston's favor instead.
bleedblue1223
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While this may be true, he’s also eminently professional. He never airs dirty laundry in public. The only time he came close was after Sobotka left for the KHL. I think he felt that an explanation was needed, but he never burned the bridge, self-evidently since Vladdy came back eventually.
He doesn’t negotiate through the press. I’d be interested in a poll of players what they think of him. I bet it would rate very high. The agents may not like to, but I think the players that are in his organization feel they’re treated very fairly.
bleedblue1223
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Gotta love how wide of a margin Dubas wins the easiest to get a great deal for your client poll.
The Athletic did something similar a couple months back and Armstrong also ended up as “one of the toughest to deal with” or something to that effect. One of the agents quoted basically said that DA has a plan and a number, and when it gets to that number, he doesn’t deviate much from it. Which as an agent I’m sure is very frustrating.
bleedblue1223
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Dubas is like that too, but in his case, his number is higher than what the agent asks for.
Armstrong understands the difference between team-controlled years and UFA years. Dubas gave contracts to guys that had no leverage to demand what he gave out. He failed to buy UFA years in return for the high AAV. Its mind-boggling, even if you think the guy is elite top 10 in the league.
In Armstrong's case, the only time I can think of where he gave something away like that is the Binnington contract. But that was such a unique situation, and Binnington had earned it. But Armstrong had the leverage in that deal due to RFA status. I think it was a situation where he needed to make reparations to some degree, and to say thankyou.
JoshFromMO
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Ive heard a ton of stories of army calling players after he trades them to give them a proper goodbye and explain himself and wishes them luck moving forward. He's genuinely a great guy to the players so I'd love to hear current guys thoughts too
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