New Around The League Thread

[Lateralous]

Why wasn’t San Jose willing to retain a huge chunk of EK’s salary?   I know it sucks having to pay a dude 4 or 5 million per year  not to play for you but I would think that would have opened up a lot more trade opportunities and a much bigger return.  It’s not like they’re in a position where they should be tight against the cap the next few years.  

[RizzMB30]

1 hour ago, Lateralous said:

Why wasn’t San Jose willing to retain a huge chunk of EK’s salary?   I know it sucks having to pay a dude 4 or 5 million per year  not to play for you but I would think that would have opened up a lot more trade opportunities and a much bigger return.  It’s not like they’re in a position where they should be tight against the cap the next few years.  

Retaining salary isn't really worth that much in terms of deal-making. It's like the icing on the cake. Although SJ took on a bunch of merc contracts like Granlund and Hoffman. On the other hand, you have to consider the fact that they will likely struggle to get to the cap floor so that's the reason for taking on the salary there. 

When you're rebuilding, you want to spend as little as possible, but still get to that cap floor. Taking on Hoffman and Granland will fill out their top nine and help them get to the floor. 

Teams can only retain salary on 2 contracts max, so if you're SJ, you want to keep those in your back pocket as a "get out of jail free" card if you do sign a bad contract here or there or you take a big chance on a player that doesn't work out. Yes, the amount retained is irrelevant to this point, but it's just to illustrate that if SJ could have retained 0%, they would have, but I bet every caller Grier got started the discussion at how much he was willing to retain and they would be throwing up numbers like 40 and 50% retained. 

I just don't think that taking 50% retained would have gotten the Sharks that really special young prospect or high draft pick more than the top ten protected 1st rounder really. It just would have handicapped them when they would be wanting to make moves and be flexible. Don't want to end up in a position where you've retained all that money, just to throw out a number, let's say 4-5 million dollars. That could be money to sign a cheap top 9 forward ala Tatar, Palat or top 4 defenseman on the FA market when maybe some of those young Sharks draft picks are starting to get their careers moving. It could be the difference in signing a Ryan Graves or a Dougie Hamilton in UFA if you are SJ. 

Re: Dubas, after looking into the trade more, Dubas retained 25% of Petry's salary. *facepalm*. 

Edited August 7, 2023 by RizzMB30

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

One last bit of Karlsson numbers:

211 GP, 27 G, 115 A, 142 Pts, -41

Those were his numbers over the FOUR seasons prior to last year's explosion.

Yeah, obviously the simplest of stats, but that's basically 10 G and 45 A per 82 GP...even if Karlsson averages 60-65 points per 82 GP over the next 2-3 years, does that scream $10 million AAV performance?  And will that make the Penguins SO much better?  Sure as hell ain't making them younger.

Given what the Pens gave up (basically Dubas was vacating Hextall's bad moves to take on San Jose's worst contract), and the obvious mentality there (we ain't dealing off guys like Crosby and Malkin even if it makes some sense), I get why they did this.  But as we saw with the Blackhawks (who missed playoffs in five out of the last six seasons, despite still having big names on their roster), the ride off into the sunset with guys whose glory days are well on the wane (with not nearly enough of a supporting cast) tends to get ugly.

In the end, Pittsburgh would probably be better off talking to Crosby and Malkin and saying "We LOVE you guys, you are absolutely Penguin royalty and you ALWAYS will be, nothing on Earth can EVER possibly take that way from either one of you, but this team has no chance to win anything with or without you, and we really need to start trying to rebuild for the future...this is not going to be easy for ANY of us, but is there anywhere that you'd like to finish up your career, to have that one real last opportunity to help a team win a championship?"  But I get that certain guys just reach that "untouchable" status where the organization can't imagine dealing them off until the player makes it clear that he wants to be dealt (or is at least open to it), or fans reach a point where they simply can't stomach watching their homegrown, multiple-Cup-winning superstar EVER doing his thing for another team, even if his best years are clearly behind him, and even if there's a decent return that can help expedite a rebuild.  I fully understand how tough of a call it is for teams in this position to make...it's easy for us to say "Dump aging but extremely popular stars, get picks and prospects, start over," but organizations AND fans obviously just grow SO attached to these guys they've been watching for SO many years.  Just gets that much harder to say goodbye.

And of course...there's that whole "selling tickets" thing.  Penguins most definitely become a much tougher sell to show up for if Rust and Rakell and Reilly Smith are the guys you're trying to get fans to come out to see.  The Pens might not be much more than a 90-point, "if everything goes right maybe a playoff berth" from here on out, but fans still get to see Crosby and Malkin (and now Karlsson).  

Edited August 7, 2023 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[vincois]

Some folks on Twitter say the Sharks were fleeced in this trade> Fleeced? SJ are in a rebuild, & to shed 11 mil per year off your cap is really great, regardless of the return. Grier didn't give a sh?t what the return is, he won by getting out from under that contract.. I think this puts way more pressure on Pens. They better "get there" either this year or the3 next. They are long in the tooth.

[Lateralous]

Yeah, I think this trade just lets the Sharks move on with the rebuild.

I also don’t mind it from the Penguins side.  I think both them and the Caps are stuck in neutral until the stars all retire and then they can begin the actual rebuild process.   This trade will generate some buzz and help keep PPG sold out for the next few years but I don’t think they are much closer to challenging for anything significant.   Hopefully both teams are non-factors for a good chuck of the Devils upcoming window of contention. 

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

24 minutes ago, vincois said:

Some folks on Twitter say the Sharks were fleeced in this trade> Fleeced? SJ are in a rebuild, & to shed 11 mil per year off your cap is really great, regardless of the return. Grier didn't give a sh?t what the return is, he won by getting out from under that contract.. I think this puts way more pressure on Pens. They better "get there" either this year or the3 next. They are long in the tooth.

The Sharks had an aging player getting paid a fortune who no longer wanted to be there and who the Sharks no longer wanted nor needed.  They got out from almost all of his money.  You are right, that alone was more or less a win...and of course, given his recent history, best to trade him off a season where he was actually healthy AND productive, because there wasn't much of that from him as a Shark.

15 minutes ago, Lateralous said:

Yeah, I think this trade just lets the Sharks move on with the rebuild.

I also don’t mind it from the Penguins side.  I think both them and the Caps are stuck in neutral until the stars all retire and then they can begin the actual rebuild process.   This trade will generate some buzz and help keep PPG sold out for the next few years but I don’t think they are much closer to challenging for anything significant.   Hopefully both teams are non-factors for a good chuck of the Devils upcoming window of contention. 

That's just it, it's kicking the can down the road, in this case probably at least three years.  If the Penguin faithful are happy with having already banked three Cups and simply are willing to accept that the tradeoff for watching Crosby and Malkin finish their careers out as Penguins will be any legit rebuild being put off for a while AND not really having much of a chance to win anything for MANY years, OK.  I'm not saying that they're wrong to feel that way...I'm sure they're VERY attached to those players (as is the franchise itself) and some among those fans would HATE the idea of either one of those guys going to another team and watching one of them hoist a Cup in a different uniform.  It's never an easy call to make.  But three championships does buy a lot of patience and currency, so maybe at the moment, Pens fans aren't that obsessed with the final results, as they are just getting to see two of the most important and productive players in Penguins history never ever playing for another team.  

Like I said and like you alluded to, I don't mind this one bit because when the Devils are in the thick of their competitive window, the Penguins will likely be in the very early stages of the proper rebuild that they're choosing to put off.  We'll see if they can luck their way into getting yet another generational talent.  

Edited August 9, 2023 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[RunninWithTheDevil]

Un-fvcking-believable

 

 

[MadDog2020]

1 minute ago, RunninWithTheDevil said:

Un-fvcking-believable

 

 

Lmfao fvck off. Poverty franchise. It’s a joke the league is allowing this.

Edited August 9, 2023 by MadDog2020

[RunninWithTheDevil]

1 minute ago, MadDog2020 said:

Lmfao fvck off. Poverty franchise. It’s a joke the league is allowing this.

It HAS to be a money laundering front at this point, no?

[MadDog2020]

Just now, RunninWithTheDevil said:

It HAS to be a money laundering front at this point, no?

I’m so fed up with the league. Great, a letter of intent. So what happens when that falls through (which it will)? It’s beyond a joke at this point.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

3 minutes ago, MadDog2020 said:

I’m so fed up with the league. Great, a letter of intent. So what happens when that falls through (which it will)? It’s beyond a joke at this point.

I love the Devils.

I love hockey.

Sometimes I really hate the NHL.

[MadDog2020]

Just now, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

I love the Devils.

I love hockey.

Sometimes I really hate the NHL.

The players and staff for that franchise deserve so much better.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

Is there some reason why that franchise can’t go somewhere where they might actually be WANTED?!

Edited August 9, 2023 by Colorado Rockies 1976

[MadDog2020]

19 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Is there some reason why that franchise can’t go somewhere where they might actually be WANTED?!

Gary Bettman’s fragile little ego.

[Lateralous]

I’m clearly in the minority here but I think a Phoenix franchise could thrive on the east side of the city.   Scottsdale and Tempe would have both been amazing had they not fallen through.   I don’t know enough about Mesa to make a judgement but at least it’s on the east side.   
 

Taking a trip in October with my college buddies to see a Yotes game at the Mullet and then a Sun Devils football game the following day.  

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

“Our incredibly loyal and passionate fan base is extremely excited about our team and the incredible additions we’ve made this summer including Matt Dumba, Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot, Nick Bjugstad, Troy Stecher, Sean Durzi and the top prospect in the world, Logan Cooley,” the Coyotes’ statement said.

Yeah sure guys, those are exactly the kinds of additions that jack up a fanbase.  And c'mon, Cooley is NOT the top prospect in the world.  Ever hear of some guy named Connor Bedard?  Everyone else who watched NHL hockey has.

 

16 minutes ago, Lateralous said:

I’m clearly in the minority here but I think a Phoenix franchise could thrive on the east side of the city.   Scottsdale and Tempe would have both been amazing had they not fallen through.   I don’t know enough about Mesa to make a judgement but at least it’s on the east side.   
 

Taking a trip in October with my college buddies to see a Yotes game at the Mullet and then a Sun Devils football game the following day.  

It just gets to a point where how many arenas that can that general area support?  Do they really need yet another?  And is there THAT much support for hockey out there?  It just feels like Bettman really really REALLY wants to make fetch happen. 

Also crazy to think that an actual NHL team might have to play at least three more seasons in the Mullet.  The Yotes are hoping for a new arena to be open for the 2026-27 season.

All this being said...pleeeease, definitely let us know how the whole experience is there, at the Mullet!  I saw the Rangers play the Yotes and the Devils play the Yotes back-to-back in 1996 (around Thanksgiving), at what was then America West Arena...Rangers won 3-1, Devils lost 4-3 in OT, back before there were charity points.  Like Barclay, that building was never designed for hockey...some seriously obstructed view seats, heh heh.  

[MadDog2020]

58 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

 

“Our incredibly loyal and passionate fan base is extremely excited about our team and the incredible additions we’ve made this summer including Matt Dumba, Jason Zucker, Alex Kerfoot, Nick Bjugstad, Troy Stecher, Sean Durzi and the top prospect in the world, Logan Cooley,” the Coyotes’ statement said.

 

Holy sh!t; hey, you a$$holes ever hear of Connor Bedard? Embarrassing.

[Colorado Rockies 1976]

1 minute ago, MadDog2020 said:

Holy sh!t; hey, you a$$holes ever hear of Connor Bedard? Embarrassing.

Yeah I posted the same, re:  Bedard.  

It's one thing to inflate, and another to FLAT OUT LIE.  All they had to say was "one of the top prospects in the world" or "one of the most promising young prospects in the world".  Certainly would've been better than what was in their statement.  The original just makes them look dumb.

[MadDog2020]

4 minutes ago, Colorado Rockies 1976 said:

Yeah I posted the same, re:  Bedard.  

It's one thing to inflate, and another to FLAT OUT LIE.  All they had to say was "one of the top prospects in the world" or "one of the most promising young prospects in the world".  Certainly would've been better than what was in their statement.  The original just makes them look dumb.

Cooley himself knows he isn’t the top prospect in the world; he’s probably like ‘what the fvck kind of clownshoes organization is this?!’

[Have Another Donut]

2 hours ago, Lateralous said:

I’m clearly in the minority here but I think a Phoenix franchise could thrive on the east side of the city.   Scottsdale and Tempe would have both been amazing had they not fallen through.   I don’t know enough about Mesa to make a judgement but at least it’s on the east side.   
 

Taking a trip in October with my college buddies to see a Yotes game at the Mullet and then a Sun Devils football game the following day.  

I saw the site when I was at the Devs game there last year.  Yes, it would have been fantastic. Mesa is also a good spot as it's very close to Tempe/Scottsdale.  It's a huge market and if they can get it built in the next 3-4 years that will coincide with all the top end talent/high picks coming of age.  I am biased since I spend winters in Tucson and Phoenix is less than 2 hrs away & I don't want to lose the Roadrunners either.  The Mullet was a cool experience. I think they could have made it 7k instead of 5k-1 more level would have been better IMO. Lot's of Devils fans there last year-Newark West...(way less scary than West Newark).

[Puckbuster]

On 8/5/2023 at 10:41 AM, Nicomo said:

That can’t be a legitimate debate right? Bergeron has literally made a case to have a particular award renamed after him. Kessel is really good, and has carved out a hell of a career, but Bergeron is on another level. 

It was debated on 98.5 the Hub.  I was beside myself.  Then they went on to agree that he is a middling HOFer.  I may be wrong, but I believe Bergeron is a top 100 player all-time.

[NJDevils1214]

I don't care about what AZ is doing. Doesn't affect me or my team(in a way that we fans feel) at all. League is already a joke with all the stupid things they have managed to rack up recently. Mitchell Miller, the sex scandals, gambling sh!t, ads on jerseys, signing an exclusive deal with Fanatics. List...goes....on really. I am waiting to see how they mishandle the WJC situation here shortly because you just know they will. 

[Satans Hockey]

Why do you guys actually give a sh!t about what happens with Arizona? I think it's a great precedent that the league goes above and beyond trying to keep a team in the city instead of just relocating. 

It beats having a situation like Oakland with these billionaire owners running out of town in the mlb and nfl to Vegas just because they are too damn cheap to build their own god damn stadiums. 

Plus it's absolutely fantastic that the arena is going to be built from private funds. It should be illegal to give any sort of breaks to these billionaires to get new stadiums built. sh!t has always been a joke and should never, ever be funded by taxpayers. 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Satans Hockey

[MadDog2020]

The NHL is going down under: https://www.si.com/nhl/2023/08/10/nhl-coyotes-kings-preseason-games-australia?fbclid=IwAR1c_tEH0vl9O5HWMVUuTmpBoi4LAQWY2nVIpOFLEFwMzEbuitawSaw-B1Y_aem_AQFq0CfqiLKZDub59moSOaxWi4O1sZzDrup8PE5t0YKAL9knG1YDMLqcEn7FIeI02tk

[MadDog2020]

https://thehockeynews.com/news/could-the-vegas-golden-knights-trade-jonathan-marchessault?fbclid=IwAR1_0wf_XmGF56BZGldVX83p8tjxfagwls23QUgIPNxs3lbTwmvvivQ0D0Q_aem_AQEa_am7uP6pSkUyPjx-w8PYpNt0tCOS78HQVI3H6SZrVoV6Fno66gVpgGTIVJIlMpg