Around the NHL: PTO Season Becomes Waiver Season

[kirby11]

The Sabres had to play that ridiculous 3 weeks and luckily didn't dig a hole for themselves. They went into the ASG window with 2 games in hand on a few teams, but still one point out of the playoff cutoff. How far behind are they going to be with game played when they get back from their bi week, and what type of insane pace are they going to have to maintain while needing to get points from 75% of their games?

Could change with all the time off, but for now, it seems like winning 2 out of every 3 games for the rest of the way should have them in a playoff spot, or in the conversation for the whole rest of the season, at least.

 

[old kummelweck]

Could change with all the time off, but for now, it seems like winning 2 out of every 3 games for the rest of the way should have them in a playoff spot, or in the conversation for the whole rest of the season, at least.

Understood, but my point was the time they have to play all the games they need to play after their bi week is going to be cray cray.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

I'm a little behind on the news about the tv ratings -- a 22% drop or something like that?

So is the league just chalking this up to cord cutters or do we think they see it as part of a trend that needs to be addressed? I hope the latter since I feel there is so much more they could be doing to grow the game.

 

[Chainshot]

Just more chatter but Chychrun to Boston would be fascinating.

 

[Beerz]

I'm a little behind on the news about the tv ratings -- a 22% drop or something like that?

So is the league just chalking this up to cord cutters or do we think they see it as part of a trend that needs to be addressed? I hope the latter since I feel there is so much more they could be doing to grow the game.

There is lots wrong.

 

[Dingo44]

I'm a little behind on the news about the tv ratings -- a 22% drop or something like that?

So is the league just chalking this up to cord cutters or do we think they see it as part of a trend that needs to be addressed? I hope the latter since I feel there is so much more they could be doing to grow the game.

There is a pretty good article in The Athletic that explains that a big reason ESPN ratings are down this season is because they decided to schedule a NHL game weekly against Sunday Night Football on NBC where before they'd put on volleyball or something. NHL aren't going to pull big numbers against the NFL and if you take out those Sunday night games the ESPN ratings are pretty close to last year.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

There is a pretty good article in The Athletic that explains that a big reason ESPN ratings are down this season is because they decided to schedule a NHL game weekly against Sunday Night Football on NBC where before they'd put on volleyball or something. NHL aren't going to pull big numbers against the NFL and if you take out those Sunday night games the ESPN ratings are pretty close to last year.

Interesting. It's like they're trying to play offense against the NFL when they should be shoring up their defense

 

[ForsbergMoDo21]

Kind of interesting that Lou was the GM in NJ when they traded the 1st that became Horvat for Cory Schneider. And now Lou’s acquired both of those players, separately, for an entirely different team.

 

[Dingo44]

Interesting. It's like they're trying to play offense against the NFL when they should be shoring up their defense

The real problem with the NHL's TV ratings

You should think twice before internalizing the ESPN/TNT deal as a failure just yet.

theathletic.com

And, of course, if you removed those recent Sunday night games from the equation and graded on the same rubric as last season, ratings would rise to an average of 491,000. That’s better than ESPN’s average during the 2021-22 season.

TNT, according to SBJ, has averaged 359,000 viewers over 36 games, which is down 16 percent compared to the 20 games it aired in the same period last season. At least seven games have been affected by regional blackouts. That’s a new wrinkle, and an important one; Bruins broadcasts on TNT, for example, are blacked out in New England because of NESN’s regional rights — and last season, NESN drew an average of 661,000 viewers for those games. It’s a similar story with the Penguins, who typically have the highest local share of ratings in the league. The Rangers were blacked out on TNT, too. New York? Pretty big TV market. Would be nice to have it reflected in the numbers, yeah?

 

[Dingo44]

 

[Zman5778]

Just more chatter but Chychrun to Boston would be fascinating.

Chych would be an upgrade over Gryz, sure (who'd likely HAVE to go to ARZ in a deal like this).

They'd have to do some fun math to get him to fit net year though (assuming they re-up Pasta in the 8 figure AAV range).

 

[Irie]

Megna to Seattle for a 4th.View attachment 646182

This move brings up a lot of questions about what is happening in Seattle, and it may get interesting in the coming weeks.

They now have 8 NHL D that require waivers but won't clear. Doubtful they waive Fleury and lose him for nothing.

Schultz was on IR but is on the ice today at practice.

Driedger is practicing with the team today for the first time this season as well, and might draw the AHL conditioning stint if he comes off of IR to buy them some time, but it looks like they will have 3 goalies and 8D ready to go before the TDL.

One has to also believe that Francis would like to add a depth forward for the playoff run, given that they are in 1st in the pacific, and Schwartz is always hurt, and their 14 forward is John Hayden.

The Megna move looks to be a move to address next years roster and cap situation. Borgen, Soucy and Dunn need new deals, and Dunn is going to get paid. Cap will be tight, and Soucy is UFA. It feels like Megna is the Soucy replacement on their bottom pairing/PK.

But Francis is going to have to manage the roster limit up til the TDL and it feels like something has to give.

 

[Diaspora]

I was poking fun at Lou signing Horvat to such a long, large contract for Horvat with some corrupted song lyrics. That was the response.

Lou won't survive that contract.

Literally, he won't survive that contract.

 

[NotABadPeriod]

This move brings up a lot of questions about what is happening in Seattle, and it may get interesting in the coming weeks.

They now have 8 NHL D that require waivers but won't clear. Doubtful they waive Fleury and lose him for nothing.

Schultz was on IR but is on the ice today at practice.

Driedger is practicing with the team today for the first time this season as well, and might draw the AHL conditioning stint if he comes off of IR to buy them some time, but it looks like they will have 3 goalies and 8D ready to go before the TDL.

One has to also believe that Francis would like to add a depth forward for the playoff run, given that they are in 1st in the pacific, and Schwartz is always hurt, and their 14 forward is John Hayden.

The Megna move looks to be a move to address next years roster and cap situation. Borgen, Soucy and Dunn need new deals, and Dunn is going to get paid. Cap will be tight, and Soucy is UFA. It feels like Megna is the Soucy replacement on their bottom pairing/PK.

But Francis is going to have to manage the roster limit up til the TDL and it feels like something has to give.

It sounds like from what I've read that Soucy might be the odd man out as well.

 

[Chainshot]

It sounds like from what I've read that Soucy might be the odd man out as well.

Soucy is such a good player. If they're shuffling him out since he's UFA-to-be and replacing him with Megna, that's a step in the wrong direction on the ice.

 

[Irie]

It sounds like from what I've read that Soucy might be the odd man out as well.

I think it is almost certain he is gone next season. The math just doesn't add up. Borgen is younger and cheaper and has been better, so they should re-sign him, and Dunn has been ridiculously good and is going to get a large contract. The cap just isn't there for Soucy next year.

Soucy is such a good player. If they're shuffling him out since he's UFA-to-be and replacing him with Megna, that's a step in the wrong direction on the ice.

It would be a mistake to move him this year before their playoff run, but having 8 forwards making 5+ million puts them in a bit of a bind cap-wise, and they have to re-up Dunn.

Soucy, being a UFA physical D that can skate and play both sides is likely to get a contract that is probably higher than his value, so I think he will be the casualty.

Soucy is honestly under-utilized in Seattle anyhow, so the loss won't be as substantial as losing a player of his level typically would be for most teams.

 

[Gabrielor]

I’d take a soucy

 

[Djp]

Did he get fired?

Why don't I understand any of the posts in this thread.

I was poking fun at Lou signing Horvat to such a long, large contract for Horvat with some corrupted song lyrics. That was the response.

It was a response to his song lyrics in the closed thread.

horvats contract is bad. Lou gets fired/ leaves but that contract is still there.
i saw a tweet from the main thread forum that dhoukd in 2 yrs thst the Iskes will have a bunch of 30+ under contract.

 

[Djp]

I think it is almost certain he is gone next season. The math just doesn't add up. Borgen is younger and cheaper and has been better, so they should re-sign him, and Dunn has been ridiculously good and is going to get a large contract. The cap just isn't there for Soucy next year.

It would be a mistake to move him this year before their playoff run, but having 8 forwards making 5+ million puts them in a bit of a bind cap-wise, and they have to re-up Dunn.

Soucy, being a UFA physical D that can skate and play both sides is likely to get a contract that is probably higher than his value, so I think he will be the casualty.

Soucy is honestly under-utilized in Seattle anyhow, so the loss won't be as substantial as losing a player of his level typically would be for most teams.

i don’t look at it that way

i look at cap management as 3/7 of cap for 7D and 2G. Test fir F
Other way that is similar. Bout 8 take up about $11M of cap. The rest 9F-5D-G is 9/6 so a 60/40 split of remaining cap.

in looking at their cap use..84M is $36M on G/D next year they have 5D and 2G under contract for $27M

 

[Irie]

i don’t look at it that way

i look at cap management as 3/7 of cap for 7D and 2G. Test fir F
Other way that is similar. Bout 8 take up about $11M of cap. The rest 9F-5D-G is 9/6 so a 60/40 split of remaining cap.

in looking at their cap use..84M is $36M on G/D next year they have 5D and 2G under contract for $27M

Dunn, Borgen, and Soucy will all get substantial raises.

If Dunn comes in under 7M, it would be an absolute steal rivaling the Slavin deal Francis negotiated.

Sprong should get a big raise too should they keep him around. (Which they definitely should).

The Kraken are my local team here, so I watch just about all their games. I am not just speculating here. Soucy is good, but he is not a major cog in their D. They brought in Schultz and soucy was never given a fair shot. He's going to cash in as a UFA D that is huge, smooth skating, can play both sides and can play physical.

The value of bringing him back at his ufa contact rate is not going to be worth the opportunity cost of that lost cap for Seattle.

 

[Zman5778]

The Kraken are my local team here, so I watch just about all their games. I am not just speculating here. Soucy is good, but he is not a major cog in their D. They brought in Schultz and soucy was never given a fair shot. He's going to cash in as a UFA D that is huge, smooth skating, can play both sides and can play physical.

Soucy kind of reminds me of when Stralman went UFA. There was this whole "is he a legit top 4 guy, what is he?" talk around him. Florida gives him a nice deal and the rest is history.

I can see Soucy getting a 5x5 or 5x6 deal from a team, that deal being IMMEDIATELY panned by HFboards intelligencia............and then Soucy actually outplaying that deal.

 

[Chainshot]

And the Isles go up 2-0. Florida is up on Tampa. Not getting much help in the Sabres neighborhood in the standings.

...and Florida extends on Tampa to 3-1.

 

[Chainshot]

Not sure if anyone caught the 1st period stuff between Blais hitting Lucic, with Weegar teeing off on Cuylle and Zadorov trying to get at Blais through the linesmen.

 

[Chainshot]

Barkov blocked a shot during a prototypically confusing NHL officiating sequence in the Tampa-Florida game and has left the Panthers' bench.

 

[Fezzy126]

Me checking the out of town scoreboard:

Alright, Flames Rangers it is...

And wow, Trouba just murdered Kadri right as I turned it on