2024-25 NHL THREAD.

[STEVEHOLT]

I used to go to Panthers games occasionally when I was in south Florida…4-5 years ago I could get a ticket for $8. Always wanted them to be better and actually draw fans.

Them turning into the greasiest team I’ve seen in the last two decades makes me regret ever rooting for them. They are now Big John era Georgetown basketball on ice. The league is letting them get away with way too much - I worry the NHL is headed for a Bertuzzi-Moore incident where players take the law into their own hands because the league won’t.

They are masters of the neck shot. They two hand and elbow opponents to the neck routinely and get away with it . Such an unlikeable team. They follow the old Pitt Panther strategy of “well they can’t call everything “. Panther sees Panther

 

[Cusefan95]

Wouldn’t it be crazy if instead of having to have the refs call / not call things based on an amorphous standard composed of part unwritten rules / part score effects / part who did what to who before now/ they just actually called the game correctly from the jump so all the evening out formulas could be tossed ?

I think the AHL generally does a lot better at this. I watched the LV Phantoms - Hershey Bears Game 5 yesterday, there were eight penalties (eh...nine, but one was a misconduct after the final buzzer) called in the game and I didn't see any egregious misses. The announcers commented about a Phantoms - Bears deciding Game 5 which went to 3 OT (which was longest game the Bears ever played, and occurred on 5/11/97), and how that game had three penalties called in the entire game which showed how AHL playoff officiating has changed.

I think the NHL is better than it was 20-30 years ago where you could commit manslaughter in a playoff OT and not get called for it - but they still lag behind the AHL in actually calling playoff games appropriately.

 

[tbonezone]

islanders get first pick in draft !

 

[OburgOrange]

 

[Cusefan95]

I’m rooting for Toronto…but after that performance I was really, really looking forward to listening to Steve Dangle’s game analysis. He’s in his annual “May meltdown” mode, it’s very entertaining.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

I’m rooting for Toronto…but after that performance I was really, really looking forward to listening to Steve Dangle’s game analysis. He’s in his annual “May meltdown” mode, it’s very entertaining.

I don’t know how he has any energy left . That series was 2-0 Toronto AND up 2 to 0 in game 3. I knew that if they didn’t win that game it was over

 

[OburgOrange]

I don’t know how he has any energy left . That series was 2-0 Toronto AND up 2 to 0 in game 3. I knew that if they didn’t win that game it was over

Exactly what I said to my buddy after game 3.

 

[Cusefan95]

I don’t know how he has any energy left . That series was 2-0 Toronto AND up 2 to 0 in game 3. I knew that if they didn’t win that game it was over

His stream during game 5 was absolutely hilarious. Started with confidence the Leafs would win, progressively got more upset...then the third goal broke him and it was just unhinged lunacy from that point. At some point he realized his viewer count was spiking, acknowledged that he knew it was because people were coming to see him implode - promised he wouldn't let them down and to "Like and Subscribe!" I think I backed up and rewatched that 12 times, laughing at it every time.

I don't like the Oilers, don't like the Hurricanes, am sick of the Panthers...really hoping the Jets somehow win two more because I don't want to have to start rooting for Dallas...

 

[STEVEHOLT]

In classic leafs fashion they win game 6 on the road only to lose game 7 at home

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Exactly what I said to my buddy after game 3.

For sure. Casual fans would say “but they’re still up 2 games to 1 with home ice advantage in game 7”. Now that they won game 6 those casuals will actually think things are looking good . We know better.

 

[kirbivore]

In classic leafs fashion they win game 6 on the road only to lose game 7 at home

They need to maximize the pain

 

[BuffOrange]

Boy the Stars whine an awful lot.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Syracuse’s own Thomas Harley with the OT winner for the series win for Dallas

 

[STEVEHOLT]

They need to maximize the pain

It’s hilarious how poor so many people’s pattern recognition is

 

[jncuse]

Another year, another "sort of" early exit. Wasn't really cheering against the Leafs this year, not cheering for them much either.

Time to move on from Marner -- take that $12 to 13m cap hit, and spend it elsewhere and hope that roster re-balancing pays off. I don't think Marner will give any hometown discount anyway -- so see what you can get via FA instead. Perhaps pick up a few players and get a little more balance in the middle of the lineup.

The acquisitions of Carle and Laughton didn't really pay off and the costs were not minimal, but they are not on terrible cap hits for next year (especially since part of Laughton is retained)

 

[STEVEHOLT]

In classic leafs fashion they win game 6 on the road only to lose game 7 at home

Looks like I was right .. of course it wasn’t difficult. Still betting line was only -125 for Panthers .. so easy that money

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Another year, another "sort of" early exit. Wasn't really cheering against the Leafs this year, not cheering for them much either.

Time to move on from Marner -- take that $12 to 13m cap hit, and spend it elsewhere and hope that roster re-balancing pays off. I don't think Marner will give any hometown discount anyway -- so see what you can get via FA instead. Perhaps pick up a few players and get a little more balance in the middle of the lineup.

The acquisitions of Carle and Laughton didn't really pay off and the costs were not minimal, but they are not on terrible cap hits for next year (especially since part of Laughton is retained)

Or don’t just spend the money cause you have it and keep the powder dry until someone actually worth the money becomes available . They can make the playoffs without a marner replacement

 

[jncuse]

Or don’t just spend the money cause you have it and keep the powder dry until someone actually worth the money becomes available . They can make the playoffs without a marner replacement

Or sign someone to a one year contract.

The other thing teams should consider is staying $2m under the cap number the entire year until the trade deadline. If you stay $2m below the capuntil the deadline, you accrue enough cap space to pick up an $7-$8m player without even having to worry about retention. Or picking up to $15m worth of players with 50% retention.

Teams are pre-disposed to spend right up the cap line from day 1, and its hurts what you can do at the deadline, or what you have to give up to force retention / find 3rd teams.

 

[jncuse]

I do think the Leafs should keep Pacioretty at that cap hit if they can.
Its amazing that this guy increased his body checking rate by about 3 times more than his career average as a 37 year old, and had the most hits per minute than anybody on the Leafs.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

Or sign someone to a one year contract.

The other thing teams should consider is staying $2m under the cap number the entire year until the trade deadline. If you stay $2m below the capuntil the deadline, you accrue enough cap space to pick up an $7-$8m player without even having to worry about retention. Or picking up to $15m worth of players with 50% retention.

Teams are pre-disposed to spend right up the cap line from day 1, and its hurts what you can do at the deadline, or what you have to give up to force retention / find 3rd teams.

I also think that these people don’t understand economics. Raising the cap isn’t going to result in as much added purchase power as people think . The same players are going to cost more just by the very fact the cap is going up. The same player will command more money and this will result in a leveling off of how far each dollar goes

 

[OburgOrange]

Another year, another "sort of" early exit. Wasn't really cheering against the Leafs this year, not cheering for them much either.

Time to move on from Marner -- take that $12 to 13m cap hit, and spend it elsewhere and hope that roster re-balancing pays off. I don't think Marner will give any hometown discount anyway -- so see what you can get via FA instead. Perhaps pick up a few players and get a little more balance in the middle of the lineup.

The acquisitions of Carle and Laughton didn't really pay off and the costs were not minimal, but they are not on terrible cap hits for next year (especially since part of Laughton is retained)

Tavares comes off the payroll this year too. He had a great season, but at 35 years of age Father Time is catching up to him. Sign him to a 3-4 year deal at a significant discount and free up some more cash.

 

[jncuse]

Tavares comes off the payroll this year too. He had a great season, but at 35 years of age Father Time is catching up to him. Sign him to a 3-4 year deal at a significant discount and free up some more cash.

Tavares was an issue at $11 million, but at $5-$6M for a few years he should be fine. Depends how much he wants to stay in Toronto.

In essence if they keep Tavares, his reduction should offset the increase in Knies salary.

 

[Cusefan95]

Another year, another "sort of" early exit. Wasn't really cheering against the Leafs this year, not cheering for them much either.

Time to move on from Marner -- take that $12 to 13m cap hit, and spend it elsewhere and hope that roster re-balancing pays off. I don't think Marner will give any hometown discount anyway -- so see what you can get via FA instead. Perhaps pick up a few players and get a little more balance in the middle of the lineup.

The acquisitions of Carle and Laughton didn't really pay off and the costs were not minimal, but they are not on terrible cap hits for next year (especially since part of Laughton is retained)

Marner really needs to move on - the likelihood of him being a “success” in Toronto going forward is low. I’m not sure what qualifies as “success” - but leading the team to a Finals appearance is probably the bare minimum.

The start of his career in Toronto he had to deal with a psychopath coach in Babcock. The likely end of his career in Toronto, he was getting booed by the Leafs fans when he touched the puck…honestly if I was him, I couldn’t get out of Toronto fast enough at this point.

 

[kirbivore]

Looks like I was right .. of course it wasn’t difficult. Still betting line was only -125 for Panthers .. so easy that money

I took the over 5.5. The Panthers goal line -1.5 was staring me the face but didn't take it.

 

[STEVEHOLT]

I took the over 5.5. The Panthers goal line -1.5 was staring me the face but didn't take it.

Yeah. Leafs were either going to win or get punked. Had this game been on the road , they’d have had a chance