Around the NHL

[Evil Little]

The way things are going you gotta think Vancouver or Calgary will lose their coach next.

Aww, but Travis Green is the best remedy for the white-hot rage I get when I read Canucks fans' barmy never-watched-hockey-before takes.

 

[ps241]

Anyone else a bit surprised that the Hawks are 5th OA in the NHL after their offseason and Toews injury?

I am surprised but they are getting really solid goaltending which helps.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Yup, him Batherson and Tkachuk are a pretty nice group of young forwards and Chabot is a stud on defense. I do have some concerns of their long term center situation as neither Norris or Brown look like corner stone centers.

Norris is only 21. I think he is doing just fine. I think they need to develop Stutzle as a C. They'll have a high pick in the next draft too, whenever it happens.

 

[surixon]

I am surprised but they are getting really solid goaltending which helps.

They have also played more games then most but are performing quite well. Kane is having himself a year.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

I keep waiting for the bottom to fall out but they keep getting points.
I haven't been watching any games outside of the north so I'm not sure what is going on with teams like the Kings and Hawks (better than expected) or Blues (worse than expected).

Hawks are getting great goaltending - from places they shouldn't be. I expect that bubble will burst. And then there is Kane.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

They have also played more games then most but are performing quite well. Kane is having himself a year.

5th in pts but 12th in pts%.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Kane is my early vote for Hart

 

[Truenorthducky]

Kane is one of those guys that will still be elite into his late 30s.

 

[LucianoBorsato]

5th in pts but 12th in pts%.

TBH even 12th in pts % is pretty impressive. There was like zero expectations for them to challenge for a playoff spot, especially after Toews was shut down for the season. My co-worker the #1 Blackhawks fan in Canada was hoping for the first overall pick in January

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

TBH even 12th in pts % is pretty impressive. There was like zero expectations for them to challenge for a playoff spot, especially after Toews was shut down for the season. My co-worker the #1 Blackhawks fan in Canada was hoping for the first overall pick in January

Agree. Toews being out finished them completely in my book. They are riding great goaltending from unlikely sources. I doubt it will last, but you never know with goaltending.

 

[JetsFan815]

I said during our last Ottawa series that I am glad we got most of our games with them out of the way when their goaltending was struggling and got those wins on the board. Everything about that team other than goaltending indicated that they were no way near as bad as their record at that time. They are now putting some wins together now that the goaltending has stabilized. Ottawa is not going to be free points anymore. They will atleast be able to play around .500 hockey, luckily we played most of our games against them earlier in the season.

 

[Joe Hallenback]

I like Ottawa and those kids are going to get better and they are hard to play against. I think if they get any goaltending they will be the 4th place team by the end of the year

 

[Joe Hallenback]

Flames fans still in denial that you can build a team around a smallish winger and be successful

 

[None]

Anybody listen to Dreger on The Instigators re: Skinner/Buffalo? Apparently he said something along the lines of ownership or management choosing Krueger over Skinner and they're trying to push Skinner out now

Do they not realize that any team that takes that contract is going to want a high % retained AND other sweeteners? There isn't an owner in the world that would take that risk with like 60 million left on the books.

I think you'd need to look at whether Krueger is worth the 10s of millions in value they're going to lose on Skinner if they can't get him producing something.


And on a side note how do you even push a player out? It's not like he's going to just pack his bags and agree to contract termination or retirement.

 

[Repoman]

And on a side note how do you even push a player out? It's not like he's going to just pack his bags and agree to contract termination or retirement.

I would think the PA would also have some serious issues here as well.

 

[Evil Little]

And on a side note how do you even push a player out? It's not like he's going to just pack his bags and agree to contract termination or retirement.

Honestly--and I should listen to the podcast first--this sounds more damning of Dreger than the Sabres.

There's no 'pushing out' an untradeable contract.

Maybe they are floating something out as a test case to try to promote outrage and curry favour for non-guaranteed contracts.

(Or someone else is, possibly including Dreger's employer who also happens to be the part owner of the world's greatest beneficiary of non-guaranteed NHL contracts.)

 

[None]

Honestly--and I should listen to the podcast first--this sounds more damning of Dreger than the Sabres.

There's no 'pushing out' an untradeable contract.

Maybe they are floating something out as a test case to try to promote outrage and curry favour for non-guaranteed contracts.

(Or someone else is, possibly including Dreger's employer who also happens to be the part owner of the world's greatest beneficiary of non-guaranteed NHL contracts.)

Yeah, even if they get Skinner to say "trade me" you still need a team willing to take him. There really is no forcing a player out from the team's perspective.

I doubt there's any media/Rogers/Bell/MLSE conspiracy here. Dreger's job is just as beholden to agents and players as it is to the people actually signing his paychecks.

It may just be a move to make Skinner so unhappy to completely waive his no-move clause. Because max term and 9 million wasn't bad enough, they also gave him a full nmc

I would think the PA would also have some serious issues here as well.

I could see the NHLPA stepping in if they refused to give him a place to skate. The no-move clause also means they can't even waive him without permission

 

[Evil Little]

Yeah, even if they get Skinner to say "trade me" you still need a team willing to take him. There really is no forcing a player out from the team's perspective.

I doubt there's any media/Rogers/Bell/MLSE conspiracy here. Dreger's job is just as beholden to agents and players as it is to the people actually signing his paychecks.

It may just be a move to make Skinner so unhappy to completely waive his no-move clause. Because max term and 9 million wasn't bad enough, they also gave him a full nmc

You're right that my paranoid fantasies are likely unfounded, and that's a good way to put it--he has a job because execs and agents use him to get what they want.

I just think it's a weird thing for Dreger to be so clueless about. What's the angle?

(Again, I should listen to it.)

 

[DeepFrickinValue]

Hawks are getting great goaltending - from places they shouldn't be. I expect that bubble will burst. And then there is Kane.

They had some really good draft picks and made some really good trades. Soaked Phoenix for strome.

 

[None]

You're right that my paranoid fantasies are likely unfounded, and that's a good way to put it--he has a job because execs and agents use him to get what they want.

I just think it's a weird thing for Dreger to be so clueless about. What's the angle?

(Again, I should listen to it.)

For what it's worth I was basing it on what a member of the Buffalo media took from Dreger



As I said it could be as simple as they're trying to make Skinner as uncomfortable as possible within the rules to get him to waive his nmc. Dreger might've phrased it poorly to say they're trying to force him out, but at the end of the day even if he does waive they still need a buyer and a willingness to eat a loss on him.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

They had some really good draft picks and made some really good trades. Soaked Phoenix for strome.

Yeah, but they are still winning with Kane and goaltending. Other than the goalie and Suter, it is last year's lineup minus Toews.

 

[snowkiddin]

How long until Skinner develops an allergy to ice?

 

[RustyCat]

I like Ottawa and those kids are going to get better and they are hard to play against. I think if they get any goaltending they will be the 4th place team by the end of the year

Agreed. And DJ Smith is a better coach than some give credit. I do wonder about Dorian, though, and if he has what it takes to assemble a contender.

 

[KingBogo]

How long until Skinner develops an allergy to ice?

This talks to opening up cap space it doesn’t get Buffalo off the hook for paying the salary unless it is insured and then you have the insurance company sign off which weeds out fake claims. You only get away with the “fake” career ending ailment if the team is rich enough to sink the costs from within and the player plays along.

 

[Evil Little]

This talks to opening up cap space it doesn’t get Buffalo off the hook for paying the salary unless it is insured and then you have the insurance company sign off which weeds out fake claims. You only get away with the “fake” career ending ailment if the team is rich enough to sink the costs from within and the player plays along.

Lupul didn't play along and the Leafs still got away with it.