League News: NHL Talk - (News n' Scores n' Stuff) - COVID Offseason Edition

[Dr John Carlson]

Yeah, the Rangers are gonna be actually good soon. Turns out that rebuilds aren't so difficult when you can get a Norris winner for basically free and Hart contenders sign with you long-term in free agency. Buffalo ought to take notes.

 

[twabby]

Well damn Rangers are set up to have a nice run

Unless…

 

[IafrateOvie34]

Yeah, the Rangers are gonna be actually good soon. Turns out that rebuilds aren't so difficult when you can get a Norris winner for basically free and Hart contenders sign with you long-term in free agency. Buffalo ought to take notes.

Fox is a future HoF imho.

 

[Langway]

Well damn Rangers are set up to have a nice run

They've got a good developing core but I don't know about the overall structuring. It seems likely Strome will walk so they're looking at Chytil at 2C and they don't have much up the middle or enough productive forwards. They're going to regret the Buchnevich deal for some time I think. Georgiev will have to go. They've got $10M in cap space next season with about six or seven spots left. Kakko & eventually Lafreniere may be bridged cheaply given their uneven starts but their mix has been tracking more off than on IMO. The Goodrow contract will be a handcuff sooner than later. Barring patching up the Kravtsov relationship or Othmann eventually developing into a key contributor they're going to have issues up front. They've got good pieces to work with and plenty of cap space this season at least but they're going to need to revisit their philosophy up front.

 

[txpd]

Yeah, the Rangers are gonna be actually good soon. Turns out that rebuilds aren't so difficult when you can get a Norris winner for basically free and Hart contenders sign with you long-term in free agency. Buffalo ought to take notes.

I know. Buffalo needs to get a lease to player their home games at MSG and then maybe they might get some of those things going their way. Unfortunately they have to play their games in and their staff and roster have to live, you know, in Buffalo. I mean, dude. Buffalo.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

They've got a good developing core but I don't know about the overall structuring. It seems likely Strome will walk so they're looking at Chytil at 2C and they don't have much up the middle or enough productive forwards. They're going to regret the Buchnevich deal for some time I think. Georgiev will have to go. They've got $10M in cap space next season with about six or seven spots left. Kakko & eventually Lafreniere may be bridged cheaply given their uneven starts but their mix has been tracking more off than on IMO. The Goodrow contract will be a handcuff sooner than later. Barring patching up the Kravtsov relationship or Othmann eventually developing into a key contributor they're going to have issues up front. They've got good pieces to work with and plenty of cap space this season at least but they're going to need to revisit their philosophy up front.

The Kreider and Trouba deals don’t do them any favors either. RW is pretty shallow for them and I’m not sold on their center depth.

Of course, having Shesterkin and Fox as your anchors is a pretty damn good foundation so they don’t need a ton to go at other positions in order for them to take the next step.

 

[twabby]

They must have been out partying in New York City and breaking team rules.

That's the only way to get COVID-19, after all.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

They must have been out partying in New York City and breaking team rules.

That's the only way to get COVID-19, after all.

I didn’t know a bubble was still in effect….so yeah if they were quarantined in their rooms being good boys, how on earth?!? (feigned gasp)


Seriously though, if you’re out around people, vaccinated but otherwise not very precautionary, you’re going to get it sooner or later IMO.

 

[kicksavedave]

They must have been out partying in New York City and breaking team rules.

That's the only way to get COVID-19, after all.

I thought this meant they were exchanging bodily fluids with each other... ???

 

[g00n]

They must have been out partying in New York City and breaking team rules.

That's the only way to get COVID-19, after all.

If the team or league disciplines them we can talk about the possible parallels.

 

[txpd]

Crosby....SMH. No chance he is disciplined

 

[twabby]

Crosby....SMH. No chance he is disciplined

Agreed, but then how could he have gotten COVID?

I fear this paradox is going to break down the very fabric of our universe.

 

[Langway]

Totally didn't realize PIT were at the bottom of the division with a home-heavy start.

 

[txpd]

Agreed, but then how could he have gotten COVID?

I fear this paradox is going to break down the very fabric of our universe.

How you get COVID when you are locked down in a hotel and you leave and how you get COVID while following guidelines are two different things. But you know that.

 

[txpd]

Totally didn't realize PIT were at the bottom of the division with a home-heavy start.

They came out hot and shocking and then with all their missing players, it started to catch up with them. Their situation looks to get worse before it gets better

 

[zappa4ever]

Totally didn't realize PIT were at the bottom of the division with a home-heavy start.

speaking of home-heavy, the Aisles don't have their Home Opener until Nov.20!
All away games for them so far so take their standings position with a grain of salt

 

[twabby]

How you get COVID when you are locked down in a hotel and you leave and how you get COVID while following guidelines are two different things. But you know that.

I agree, this is a COVID-free zone:

...which is why I am curious how Sidney Crosby could have possibly gotten COVID if he wasn't going on a tour of pastry shops in the Big Apple (which is impossible, because he was not disciplined).

I'll need to investigate this further.

 

[txpd]

speaking of home-heavy, the Aisles don't have their Home Opener until Nov.20!
All away games for them so far so take their standings position with a grain of salt

Nothing like service from your home arena. NO DATES

 

[txpd]

I agree, this is a COVID-free zone:

...which is why I am curious how Sidney Crosby could have possibly gotten COVID if he wasn't going on a tour of pastry shops in the Big Apple (which is impossible, because he was not disciplined).

I'll need to investigate this further.

The rules that busted Kuzy and Samsonov in the spring are in effect only if they have refused to be vaccinated. Otherwise the players arent restricted. Which is why the Caps were able to travel with all their players including the injured players. They are doing off site team building stuff that would not have been allowed at anytime last season.

 

[twabby]

The rules that busted Kuzy and Samsonov in the spring are in effect only if they have refused to be vaccinated. Otherwise the players arent restricted. Which is why the Caps were able to travel with all their players including the injured players. They are doing off site team building stuff that would not have been allowed at anytime last season.

I agree, Kuznetsov broke the rules last year and received discipline for breaking the rules.

But I'm still confused why all of these players and coaches entering COVID protocol this season aren't also receiving discipline from their teams. It's not technically against the rules any more, but it's a real bad look getting COVID-19.

 

[txpd]

I agree, Kuznetsov broke the rules last year and received discipline for breaking the rules.

But I'm still confused why all of these players and coaches entering COVID protocol this season aren't also receiving discipline from their teams. It's not technically against the rules any more, but it's a real bad look getting COVID-19.

Really? IIRC Kuznetsov and Samsonov were disciplined for breaking rules and missing a team function. Right? They were not fined/suspended/scratched for getting COVID. They got COVID because they broke the rules. Apparantly.

Players this year are testing positive for COVID after following directives. They are not restricted and neither is the society. SO.....Players that do nothing but go back and forth from the training site and game site and still be infected by their wives and children who are back at school and work and so forth. You dont know this? Or....are you just jerking my chain? I hope I was helpful. If you still have questions, maybe someone that you trust can provide answers.

 

[twabby]

Really? IIRC Kuznetsov and Samsonov were disciplined for breaking rules and missing a team function. Right? They were not fined/suspended/scratched for getting COVID. They got COVID because they broke the rules. Apparantly.

Players this year are testing positive for COVID after following directives. They are not restricted and neither is the society. SO.....Players that do nothing but go back and forth from the training site and game site and still be infected by their wives and children who are back at school and work and so forth. You dont know this? Or....are you just jerking my chain? I hope I was helpful. If you still have questions, maybe someone that you trust can provide answers.

They were certainly disciplined for missing a team function last year according to the team.

But where it gets confusing for me is that I thought we previously established that players could not possibly get COVID from family members, or the locker room, or the thousands of unvaccinated people in hockey arenas. This is how we were able to deduce that Evgeny Kuznetsov got COVID while attending a production of Swan Lake in New York City last year, and thus why he earned all of our ire.

So I'm just really at a loss here. We're seeing a bunch of NHLers getting COVID, or at least being put into protocol. While attending a ballet or other activities is no longer against the rules, shouldn't teams be discouraging and even punishing this type of social behavior due to COVID risk? It's really selfish putting their teams behind the 8-ball.

 

[txpd]

So....COVID

So I'm just really at a loss here. We're seeing a bunch of NHLers getting COVID, or at least being put into protocol. While attending a ballet or other activities is no longer against the rules, shouldn't teams be discouraging and even punishing this type of social behavior due to COVID risk? It's really selfish putting their teams behind the 8-ball.

You are not at a loss. You are playing a game. Whats next? A guy misses a game because of the flu, another contagious disease, and you want discipline? Attending the ballet. OMG..... Yup. You are f ing with me. I am out. Oh...it looks like COVID is running thru the team, so Crosby probably was infected at the practice facility or the locker room at work. Have a nice day.

 

[g00n]

The urge to "told ya so" is way too strong with this one. Even when it doesn't apply.

 

[NobodyBeatsTheWiz]

In other news, Aldrich's name was X'ed out on the Cup. The right call.