2023-24 NHL Season Thread

[jncuse]

The Jets are tough, especially when Hellebuyck is on. Sure will be good to get Connor back, too. Bowness said he's on schedule, in week 4 of 6-8. Apparently Scheiffele went down tonight with a shot to the helmet and immediately left the ice, but he was back on the ice after the end and looked fine. Phew!

The best year for Canadian teams in a long time (with 3, maybe 4 contenders to make it far in the playoffs), especially out west with Vancouver, Winnipeg and Edmonton all playing very well.

The East has been a bit disappointing though. The Leafs will make the playoffs but are middling (and of course they will lose in round 1). Ottawa has certainly not met their high expectations -- although maybe that is on their fans. Habs stink, but that was expected.

 

[CanadianSU]

Oilers are rolling.

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[jncuse]

Just before the beginning of the 2022/2023 season, the Calgary Flames traded a first round pick to Montreal (which looks like it could be an early teens pick in 2025) so Montreal would assume the contract of Sean Monahan.

Montreal developed a good relationship with Monahan in 22/23 but he got injured. They agreed to a smallish contract this year, so they could set up a situation where he can up his contract value for next year and also get traded this year to a contender. 17 months after being given a first round draft pick to take Monahan off the Flames hands, they trade him for a first round pick to Winnipeg. Basically get 2 first round picks for taking somebody off the Flames hands.

Now that is great asset management, for a team that has often struggled with it. Is Marc Bergevin now advising the Flames?

 

[Cusefan95]

Went to the Lehigh Valley - Hershey game in Allentown yesterday. I noticed a few guys wearing neck guards; I watched these teams in Hershey earlier this year and don’t remember seeing players with them.

My guess is these will rapidly become normal safety gear at all level (including the NHL) within a decade - that I can notice more usage over the course of this season in the AHL is an indicator it’ll go quickly.

Barely related, but stayed with my kids at the hotel attached to PPL Center. I’ve become a huge fan of arenas with attached hotels (Prudential Center in Newark is the same way). We managed to check in at the hotel, go to dinner, go to the game, back to the hotel without ever walking outside - just used the underground tunnels connecting everything in downtown Allentown. Any new arena project without a hotel included is suboptimal in my opinion.

 

[OburgOrange]

Went to the Lehigh Valley - Hershey game in Allentown yesterday. I noticed a few guys wearing neck guards; I watched these teams in Hershey earlier this year and don’t remember seeing players with them.

My guess is these will rapidly become normal safety gear at all level (including the NHL) within a decade - that I can notice more usage over the course of this season in the AHL is an indicator it’ll go quickly.

Barely related, but stayed with my kids at the hotel attached to PPL Center. I’ve become a huge fan of arenas with attached hotels (Prudential Center in Newark is the same way). We managed to check in at the hotel, go to dinner, go to the game, back to the hotel without ever walking outside - just used the underground tunnels connecting everything in downtown Allentown. Any new arena project without a hotel included is suboptimal in my opinion.

You need to visit CHarleston. Embassy Suites directly connected to the arena. Do the free happy hour at the Embassy, then waddle over to watch the Carolina Stingrays! Genius

 

[Cusefan95]

Tommy Devito doing the intro to the outdoor game at MetLife? Wouldn’t have predicted it, but I thought it played well.

Devils came out strong, they really need this game.

 

[Cowtown]

Tommy Devito doing the intro to the outdoor game at MetLife? Wouldn’t have predicted it, but I thought it played well.

Devils came out strong, they really need this game.

No worries, the Leafs won big tonight. The Toronto media will have awarded them the Cup by morning.

 

[Cusefan95]

You need to visit CHarleston. Embassy Suites directly connected to the arena. Do the free happy hour at the Embassy, then waddle over to watch the Carolina Stingrays! Genius

I didn’t realize they were in the Capitals/Bears system. I could see a trip with my kids since they’ve become huge Hershey Bears fans this year.

 

[Cusefan95]

No worries, the Leafs won big tonight. The Toronto media will have awarded them the Cup by morning.

Funny thing is, I was just watching videos where the guys were predicting the Leafs are going to collapse and miss the playoffs. Steve Dangle has been losing his mind for at least two weeks about this, claiming the players don’t care.

Flipping from that to predicting a Cup run after one win would perfectly fit Leafs fans.

 

[Cowtown]

Went to the Lehigh Valley - Hershey game in Allentown yesterday. I noticed a few guys wearing neck guards; I watched these teams in Hershey earlier this year and don’t remember seeing players with them.

My guess is these will rapidly become normal safety gear at all level (including the NHL) within a decade - that I can notice more usage over the course of this season in the AHL is an indicator it’ll go quickly.

Barely related, but stayed with my kids at the hotel attached to PPL Center. I’ve become a huge fan of arenas with attached hotels (Prudential Center in Newark is the same way). We managed to check in at the hotel, go to dinner, go to the game, back to the hotel without ever walking outside - just used the underground tunnels connecting everything in downtown Allentown. Any new arena project without a hotel included is suboptimal in my opinion.

Not having to go outside in Newark is a distinct advantage.

 

[Cowtown]

Funny thing is, I was just watching videos where the guys were predicting the Leafs are going to collapse and miss the playoffs. Steve Dangle has been losing his mind for at least two weeks about this, claiming the players don’t care.

Flipping from that to predicting a Cup run after one win would perfectly fit Leafs fans.

Toronto is the self-perceived hub of the Earth's axis.

 

[tbonezone]

rangers / islanders outdoors at 3pm !

stefan perrson feeds mike bossy...SCORE !

islanders jobbed (just like lax ) on an incorrect goal interference call.

 

[Cusefan95]

Not having to go outside in Newark is a distinct advantage.

Ironbound district has nice restaurants, and its borderline walkable from Prudential Center. As long as you stay in that general area, its not terrible. Usually. But Prudential Center was part of an overall downtown improvement effort in Newark, and I'd have to agree on that front it was an abject failure. The last game I went to I, didn't take my kids and was meeting friends - so I took the train and got physically threatened by a homeless drug addict walking from the train station to the arena. It was a stark reminder why I just drive in and stay at the Marriot when I take my kids. They are blissfully unaware of the condition of the city - to them its just a hockey arena and a nice Marriot hotel.

 

[Cusefan95]

At this point I think we have a good idea where teams stand - overall I think there's a lot of parity this year and we could see a lot of first round upsets. Rangers and Panthers are, inho, far and away the best teams - I'm hoping they don't get hit by the upset bug because an Eastern Conference Final with those two would be amazing.

Nobody in the west has impressed me - I think the Canucks are fools gold and are an early round upset candidate. There's no team in the west playing anywhere close to the level the Rangers and Panthers are at.

 

[Cowtown]

The salary cap era has ushered in the demon of "first round vulnerability." There is no NHL team that has consistent second tier scoring, because they've thrown all their salary weight behind their top line. That means any mediocre team can come out in that first round with a hot goalie and simply check the higher seed into the ice. Skill players wear themselves out fighting through all the hooking, holding and interference, post whistle scrums, etc. This is made worse by the fact the NHL brass makes it known they want the officials to "let the players decide" - which is absolute bullshit. Because if the rule book changes for the playoffs, the regular season means almost nothing. Of course the league denies this, but anyone who watches can see it's true.

This brings to GM's a conundrum: do you build your team for success over the regular season (fast play: skate, pass, shoot) or success in the playoffs (bigger, slower, keep the puck out of the middle of the ice and more along the boards and in the corners). Does your coaching philosophy excel at playing a different team every second night, or the same team over and over?

We don't get to see the eastern teams much out here (2X per year, home & home), so I can't comment on them. Vancouver is currently 1-6(?) which is good for them to go through, with playoffs in about 5-6 weeks? Tocchet will have them ready. Winnipeg is tougher physically and mentally; Edmonton will survive the first round, and McD will be exhausted by the end of of the 2nd (see above). But be careful about dismissing Colorado and LV, who have won both of the last two cups, for both talent pools are largely intact.

Just IMHO, of course.

 

[Cusefan95]

The salary cap era has ushered in the demon of "first round vulnerability." There is no NHL team that has consistent second tier scoring, because they've thrown all their salary weight behind their top line. That means any mediocre team can come out in that first round with a hot goalie and simply check the higher seed into the ice. Skill players wear themselves out fighting through all the hooking, holding and interference, post whistle scrums, etc. This is made worse by the fact the NHL brass makes it known they want the officials to "let the players decide" - which is absolute bullshit. Because if the rule book changes for the playoffs, the regular season means almost nothing. Of course the league denies this, but anyone who watches can see it's true.

1) What is bizarre is they've focused on rule changes to open up the game for two decades, because they knew that made the game more exciting and appealing to fans. Then the playoffs come and they revert back to something closer to the style fans hated.

Bettman gets a lot of heat from fans, but I have some sympathy for him. The culture of the league, driven by the owners, is based on short term thinking combined with general aversion to any change they cannot see immediate monetary value in. For any efforts he makes to try to enhance the long term growth of the game, he's swimming against the current.

2) I think the Devils are going to end up proving your point about second tier scoring. Right now they do have that depth - but its at the price of a weak, fairly inexpensive defense and goaltending. To be competitive and stay under the cap, they're very likely going to trade that scoring depth for defense and/or a goalie. I hate seeing Mercer in all kinds of trade rumors, but the reality is they won't be able to afford him long term and they need to shore up the defense to actually go anywhere.

 

[Cowtown]

At this point I think we have a good idea where teams stand - overall I think there's a lot of parity this year and we could see a lot of first round upsets. Rangers and Panthers are, inho, far and away the best teams - I'm hoping they don't get hit by the upset bug because an Eastern Conference Final with those two would be amazing.

Nobody in the west has impressed me - I think the Canucks are fools gold and are an early round upset candidate. There's no team in the west playing anywhere close to the level the Rangers and Panthers are at.

Oh, forgot to mention this: Toronto's biggest problem is there aren't enough mirrors in their dressing room. If you catch my drift. The Boston bogeyman is always in their closet, and they'll never get mentally past them until they prove they physically can. And even if they eventually do, then "whither Candide?"

 

[OburgOrange]

Oh, forgot to mention this: Toronto's biggest problem is there aren't enough mirrors in their dressing room. If you catch my drift. The Boston bogeyman is always in their closet, and they'll never get mentally past them until they prove they physically can. And even if they eventually do, then "whither Candide?"

The problem has always been defense and goaltending. Always. And they never address the issue. Just try to outscore the opponent. And Boston is in their head.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Just before the beginning of the 2022/2023 season, the Calgary Flames traded a first round pick to Montreal (which looks like it could be an early teens pick in 2025) so Montreal would assume the contract of Sean Monahan.

Montreal developed a good relationship with Monahan in 22/23 but he got injured. They agreed to a smallish contract this year, so they could set up a situation where he can up his contract value for next year and also get traded this year to a contender. 17 months after being given a first round draft pick to take Monahan off the Flames hands, they trade him for a first round pick to Winnipeg. Basically get 2 first round picks for taking somebody off the Flames hands.

Now that is great asset management, for a team that has often struggled with it. Is Marc Bergevin now advising the Flames?

now its Craig Conroy...dude i used to play against when he was in potsdam. of course he went on to Clarkson , NHL player, NHL GM... who would have thunk it.

but he was the GM after this trade of which you speak. That trade was probably consummated by current Leafs GM Treliving.

 

[Cusefan95]

I took my kids to the Hershey Bears - Utica Comets game last night. Our tickets for Bears game are three rows up right around the end zone faceoff circle where the visiting team warms up. My seven year old son has been trying to get players to throw him a puck all season in warm-ups with no luck. I told him we were going to try something different - we’d wear Devils jerseys that we wear to New Jersey Devils games and I bought him a stuffy of the Comets mascot to hold by the glass so we’d look like Comets fans, and maybe they’d throw him a puck. Multiple Utica players saw him and his stuffy and tapped the glass in front of him with their stick or glove as they were warming up, and a couple of them tossed him a puck at the end of warm ups (so he ended up with two). He was so excited by the experience and kept recounting it to me today.

As frustrating a year as this has been as a Devils fan (and I think the wheels officially came off today against the Kings) - I think ultimately I’ll end up remembering it as the year my son and daughter got really into hockey. Last year we left most games at the end of the second period; this year they finally understand the game enough that they usually want to stay to the end.

 

[Cowtown]

I took my kids to the Hershey Bears - Utica Comets game last night. Our tickets for Bears game are three rows up right around the end zone faceoff circle where the visiting team warms up. My seven year old son has been trying to get players to throw him a puck all season in warm-ups with no luck. I told him we were going to try something different - we’d wear Devils jerseys that we wear to New Jersey Devils games and I bought him a stuffy of the Comets mascot to hold by the glass so we’d look like Comets fans, and maybe they’d throw him a puck. Multiple Utica players saw him and his stuffy and tapped the glass in front of him with their stick or glove as they were warming up, and a couple of them tossed him a puck at the end of warm ups (so he ended up with two). He was so excited by the experience and kept recounting it to me today.

As frustrating a year as this has been as a Devils fan (and I think the wheels officially came off today against the Kings) - I think ultimately I’ll end up remembering it as the year my son and daughter got really into hockey. Last year we left most games at the end of the second period; this year they finally understand the game enough that they usually want to stay to the end.

Nice story, I'm glad for your son. And you. I was 45 years old and got a foul ball at a Jays game, and it was still cool!

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Oh, forgot to mention this: Toronto's biggest problem is there aren't enough mirrors in their dressing room. If you catch my drift. The Boston bogeyman is always in their closet, and they'll never get mentally past them until they prove they physically can. And even if they eventually do, then "whither Candide?"

leafs problems for the current "core four" generation has been the coach in my opinion. Stacks the lines and overuse the top guys, while your down line guys rot. Now suddenly the last 10 or so games, out of necessity, he's had to do this and lo and behold, when you give your 3rd and 4th line guys 15 minutes of ice time instead of 9 or 10, they get bought in and can actually provide value. It also keeps your big guns fresh. Keefe has a line now of McMann, JT, and Jarnkrock completely built out of necessity. and it looked dang good last night. he may have finally figured it out and they've won 9/10

 

[OburgOrange]

leafs problems for the current "core four" generation has been the coach in my opinion. Stacks the lines and overuse the top guys, while your down line guys rot. Now suddenly the last 10 or so games, out of necessity, he's had to do this and lo and behold, when you give your 3rd and 4th line guys 15 minutes of ice time instead of 9 or 10, they get bought in and can actually provide value. It also keeps your big guns fresh. Keefe has a line now of McMann, JT, and Jarnkrock completely built out of necessity. and it looked dang good last night. he may have finally figured it out and they've won 9/10

Exactly this. I’m not a Keefe fan at all. He’s in over his head