Your likely 2023-24 Scapegoat

[Bounces R Way]

Who on your team do you have pegged as your team's prospective official whipping boy?

Flames have some strong candidates. Kadri would be my early favourite but Huberdeau or Markstrom might have a say about that if they don't bounce back in a big way. Also a first year HC is never a bad bet.

Who do you think is most likely to be blamed for everything?

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[WhataKnight]

The Knights are due a Cup hangover, so I can see any of Hill, Karlsson, Eichel, Martínez or Pietrangelo getting blamed for a slow start.

Curious to see which player not being “on” hinders the collective sum first.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

If the Sens are bad, DJ Smith 1 trillion percent.

 

[Jetabre]

Probably Scheifele

 

[Petey But Really Jim]

Mike Gillis.

 

[centipede2233]

Shanahan will continue to be blamed for everything, and rightfully so! The shanaplan was and is a disaster.

 

[MikeyMike01]

Horvat

 

[Avs2022]

Drouin for the Avs. Now that Compher isn't on the team. Or Newhook.

 

[Stive Morgan]

Montembault if he doesn't stand on his head like he did last season.

 

[HTFN]

I was actually planning on blaming Barack Obama, and maybe my parents when that feels right.

Nobody really, this is just going to be a weird bridge season, but most of the guys who need blamed are already halfway out the door so... whatever. Parts of the season will just be butts, other parts might be good, depends on the new coaching.

 

[frisco]

If Tristan Jarry struggles and/or can't stay healthy, he'll take the fall.

My Best-Carey

 

[timmeh]

Probably PLD

 

[Kent Nilsson]

Slaf or Reinbacher, maybe Mesar.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

If the Sens are bad, DJ Smith 1 trillion percent.

Thomas Chabot has to be up there, too.

 

[MOGlLNY]

Jokiharju. It’s through no fault of his own because Adams didn’t go out and get a top 4 defenseman. So now Joker will again be playing big minutes with Dahlin and don’t think he’s equipped to handle them.

Would love to be wrong because I really like Joker and he’s had some tough injury luck. The metrics said him and Dahlin together last year in their minutes was solid. But over a whole year, we will see.

 

[wintersej]

if Zacha/Coyle don’t cut it I think Sweeney will get the blame more than the players. Heinen is always a favorite whipping boy, but I think Frederic is the answer. He will be counted on to drive the third line instead of being the third wheel on it. Unlike Zacha and especially Coyle this shouldn’t be asking too much from him so if he doesn’t deliver…

 

[scoopscj]

Probably Vitek

 

[Hoek]

Jeannot

 

[TheBeastCoast]

Klingberg

 

[TopCheese]

With Justin Holl gone, we will have to find a new defenseman to keep up the annual tradition of "blame one bottom pair d-man for our organizations failure at cap management hindering our ability to build a complete roster" Early candidates and John Klingberg and TJ Brodie is last years playoffs are any indication

 

[Seb]

Armia and Gallagher because of their contract and their decline.

 

[Peasy]

Klingberg, JT, Reaves

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

It's amazing how dedicated my fanbase is to having one of these every season. Some of them are understandable I must admit though (*cough* Yandle *cough*). But some are kind of head scratchers.
I can't really guess right now who it will be at this moment. But I can say it will be one.

 

[BigTomBomber]

Suter

He was blamed for 2022 even though vs Vegas he outscored everybody not named Miro, Robertson, Pavelski, and Hintz. One glaring play not withstanding, you could argue he was just below Miro in overall performance of the top 4D (even though Suter had much better adv metrics across the board)

 

[VivaLasVegas]

The Knights are due a Cup hangover, so I can see any of Hill, Karlsson, Eichel, Martínez or Pietrangelo getting blamed for a slow start.

Curious to see which player not being “on” hinders the collective sum first.

Karlsson most likely.