December 2017 NHL News Thread

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,494
The Island
Remember this fight?


Of course you do.

Well, the other guy isn’t doing well

Because Stephen Peat is restricted from contacting his dad due to the protection order, Walter Peat gets only sporadic updates. The latest call he received from an old friend was alarming.

"He told me that he'd heard that Stephen was in downtown Langley, walking around, covered with blood, his hands down around his ankles," Peat said.

"I thought, 'Holy shit. Someone's either beat him up or he's close to dead,' and my heart sank.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
Seems like the NHL expansion to Seattle is in full gear:

https://www.tsn.ca/it-s-seattle-s-time-1.936185

Seattle has approved a deal to renovate Key Arena making it a state of the art facility that could house an NHL or NBA team. They have an ownership group (Jerry Bruckheimer is one of the leaders) that has expressed interest, and the league has long desired the Seattle market. BoG meetings this week, so there could be some sort of public acknowledgement that they’re looking at it.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,494
The Island
Makes taking the money from Quebec City feel a little slimy knowing they likely have no plans to go back there. About the only chance of that left is a sale of the Hurricanes to a QC group.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,494
The Island
And to Seattle they’re (probably) going. Still some hurdles, but Seattle was always the second expansion target when they opened up the process a couple years ago. At least this time, they’re not playing the part in a farce by saying there’s room for QC. And speaking of, one of the prime relocation prospects is heading out the window, as Peter Karmanos has sold a majority share of the Hurricanes. And with Houston open to the NHL post-Alexander, the writing’s on the wall in Quebec.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
It’ll be good times when the owners receive a $650 million payout for the Seattle expansion fee while in a lockout. Good times I tell you.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
The Sens have asked their players with no-trade clauses to provide their lists. This includes Erik Karlsson. Karlsson made waves few weeks ago when he said he would be taking top dollar when he reaches free agency in July 2019. It’ll be interesting to monitor this development of the next year. The Sens are a budget team, and according to the article, Melnyk is not happy with Karlsson’s comments.

 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,494
The Island
Ottawa’s a sneaky bad situation. Melnyk is proving to be ultra cheap, and the team, regardless of which coach is behind the bench, regularly punches above its weight. And they’re still out in Kanata, with no progress on a downtown stadium. If there’s a team in Canada I see relocating, it’s the Sens.
 

Dummy Hoy

Angry Pissbum
SoSH Member
Jul 22, 2006
8,227
Falmouth
With the Duchene trade Sens are out their 1st and 2nd picks next year. They need to turn it around bad, because going into 65’s walk year with him unsigned is dangerous.

You don’t want to move a guy like that but if they’re still a mess come late January, they could get a major league haul for Karlsson.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
With the Duchene trade Sens are out their 1st and 2nd picks next year. They need to turn it around bad, because going into 65’s walk year with him unsigned is dangerous.

You don’t want to move a guy like that but if they’re still a mess come late January, they could get a major league haul for Karlsson.
The 1st they traded in the Duchene deal is at least top 10 protected, so they are covered this year if they continue to bottom out.

They have some ugly contracts on the books-$7.25 AAV to Bobby Ryan for 4 more years and $7 million to Phaneuf for 3 more years. Amazing mismanagement if those albatrosses prevent a Karlsson extension due to Melnyk’s internal budget. It sounds like the Karlsson stuff right now is mostly sabre rattling, but I think if they get any indication that he’s walking after next year, they’d have to think about moving before this deadline.

Also, I think Boucher is a bad coach and a big part of their problem. The Sens are mirroring his Tampa teams. Overachieve year one with ~100 points and an ECF game 7appearance, regression to ~80 points in year 2. Fired in year 3 in Tampa. His system isn’t sustainable.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,494
The Island
Also, I think Boucher is a bad coach and a big part of their problem. The Sens are mirroring his Tampa teams. Overachieve year one with ~100 points and an ECF game 7appearance, regression to ~80 points in year 2. Fired in year 3 in Tampa. His system isn’t sustainable.
Is there something in particular about him that erodes a locker room’s belief in him? Or does the one(-three-one) trick pony not age well with a team?
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
It’s the system. Getting outshot every night isn’t sustainable. The only team that has kind of done it over multiple years is the Rangers, and that’s largely due to Lundqvist. Anderson isn’t on the level of Lundqvist.

Ottawa’s analytics last year pointed to a team that was overachieving. They haven’t changed a thing and are getting hit with the regression now. Similar to Colorado cratering after they year they won the Central under Roy and the Leafs in 13/14.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,163
Cambridge, MA
Didn’t he receive a life-saving partial liver transplant from a Sens fan who wanted to see them raise the cup?

He and Jacobs would get along swell
 

Jordu

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2003
8,945
Brookline
I came to hockey way later in life than most here, but did Jacobs ever threaten to relocate the Bruins?
Nope. He’s owned the team since ‘75. One Cup.

He’s always had a good thing in Boston — loyal fan base, high ticket prices, reasonable expenses.
 

moly99

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 28, 2007
939
Seattle
Seems like the NHL expansion to Seattle is in full gear:
useless trivia: 64% of Canadians live south of Seattle

http://edwardtonai.blogspot.com/2015/06/64-of-canadians-live-south-of-seattle.html
http://edwardtonai.blogspot.com/2015/06/64-of-canadians-live-south-of-seattle.html
The Canadians are still unhappy about another American city getting an NHL team, though. I can kind of understand it (I lived in Canada for two years) but Seattle seems like the wrong city to be complaining about. It is basically the west coast version of Buffalo; you can take a ferry from Seattle to Canada and there are lots of Canadian flags in the city. It was also the first American city to win the Stanley Cup in 1917.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,494
The Island
As someone with a foot on both sides of the line, I don’t object to Seattle getting a team. I think the major objection NHL is making QC jump through a lot of hoops just to be some kind of “break glass” landing spot for a wayward east coast franchise, yet Seattle just got an inside track for the 32nd team and Houston will be the likely landing spot when the Arizona experiment dies next year. They made Winnipeg do this almost from the second Bell MTS Place was built, and even told the new Jets fan base to essentially pay up immediately or it won’t last.

If anything, you can respect the straight talk of Jeremy Jacobs on the matter, saying they worry about the loonie w/r/t Quebec City. There’s no pretence with him that the league actually wants to be there.
 

kenneycb

Hates Goose Island Beer; Loves Backdoor Play
SoSH Member
Dec 2, 2006
16,071
Tuukka's refugee camp
That seems like a win for all. The team seemed miserable, the fans seemed to hate it, and the stadium didn't want them there.
 

brienc

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 26, 2005
1,302
Shakedown Street
That seems like a win for all. The team seemed miserable, the fans seemed to hate it, and the stadium didn't want them there.
Not really for me. I’ll miss being able to take a 20 minute subway ride to a game for under $3. But for the franchise and the overall fan base, it’s the best day since the Isles won their last Cup.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
Dallas trades Jamie Oleksiak to Pittsburgh for a conditional 4th round pick in advance of the roster freeze that starts tonight.

Pittsburgh has had a brutal schedule and find themselves outside the playoff picture at the moment.
 

veritas

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2009
3,151
Somerville, MA
That fox sports Arizona tweet is almost as disgusting as Rinaldo.

It's never going to happen, but if relegation was a thing there's a 0% chance the Yotes are paying Rinaldo this year.
 

MiracleOfO2704

not AWOL
SoSH Member
Jul 12, 2005
9,494
The Island
Let’s just remember that this piece of shit is why the Bruins didn't have their natural 3rd round pick last draft.

That fox sports Arizona tweet is almost as disgusting as Rinaldo.
At this stage, I have to believe the second Houston gets set up for an NHL team, Arizona is gone. It’s been a garbage organization for a veeeeeeeery long time.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
In person hearing for Shithead, so 6+ is on the table.

Elsewhere, some rumblings from Kypreos/Friedman that the Penguins are looking for a shakeup coming out of the freeze and could be dangling Letang. 4 years, $7.25AAV left on Letang’s deal. Might be tough to move in season, but Rutherford usually doesn’t mess around and moves quickly. Friedman says they’d want a pair of forwards in return.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
The Bruins.

Letang is 30, 4 years left at $7.25 AAV, and has had a myriad of health issues. There is also the fact that Letang has been on the ice for a whopping 37 goals against at even strength this year.

 

Salem's Lot

Andy Moog! Andy God Damn Moog!
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
14,414
Gallows Hill
The Bruins.

Letang is 30, 4 years left at $7.25 AAV, and has had a myriad of health issues. There is also the fact that Letang has been on the ice for a whopping 37 goals against at even strength this year.

That's eye opening wow. My next idea was OEL but I guess not. I would just like to upgrade from Krug to a better overall top 4 D.
 

veritas

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2009
3,151
Somerville, MA
In a vacuum, Letang is probably a moderate upgrade over Krug. His +/- numbers this season seem like an anomaly, none of his other numbers have tanked, and his PDO is at an unsustainably low 93 right now.

But he also has a significantly bigger contract and a history of brain injuries, including a stroke. Do not want.

OEL is really hard to judge playing in Arizona, most people assume he's a great player who's numbers are being brought down by a bad team. But people said the same thing about Duchene/Colorado and it's looking like maybe he was really not actually that good. The price for OEL would probably be ridiculous too.

If Sekera is healthy and Edmonton doesn't get back in it, he would be an intriguing LHD option, but he also has a significant contract
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
If you are looking to upgrade the top 4 D, the spot to do it would probably be Carlo. I’m not sure why Krug gets some of the heat that he gets. He’s having a down year by his standards but is still at 53% Corsi, Scoring chances, etc. which is still good. He has had some obvious fuck ups at the point on the PP that have led to goals against, but I don’t really see anything wrong with him.

Overall, I’d leave the D alone for the moment. Their biggest need is probably LHD, but I’d let the Grzelcyk thing play out to see if he’s as good as he has shown in this 15 game stint. If he is, problem solved.

Trade wise, the only area I’d be looking at right now is C. I think they could use a 2 or 3C as a hedge against any long term Krejci injury. 2 separate back injuries close together is worrisome.
 

Jordu

Member
SoSH Member
Apr 30, 2003
8,945
Brookline
I have the sane worry about the center position. I have no data to back this up, but Spooner seems to be a better player when he’s at center. Leave him at center until Krejci gets back.
 

PedroSpecialK

Comes at you like a tornado of hair and the NHL sa
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2004
27,163
Cambridge, MA
6 is real light.

I don’t buy the ‘in the moment’ garbage Bissonnette is trying to peddle. Sure, Rinaldo made a hit on MacKinnon, and I know the Coyotes write Bissonnette’s checks.

But if you’ve spent a minute watching NHL hockey let alone playing it, you know a player who’s got his gloves on and his stick in his hands (in a non-cross check position) is not going to be an immediate threat for hand to hand combat. Sucker punching Girard there is not acceptable.

When you contrast this nonsense with the laughable Schaller instigator tonight you start to see how hapless the NHL really is when it comes to player safety regardless of who’s handing down the suspensions.
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
Shithead has 11 career goals, 25 games missed due to suspension. Good times.

Elsewhere, Claesson has a hearing today for the Acciari hit last night. Guessing the dart lands on 1 game since Acciari appears to have escaped injury.
 

veritas

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 13, 2009
3,151
Somerville, MA


Chayka saying there's no chance he trades OEL.

OEL taking a dig at ownership and management.

Interesting situation happening there
 

cshea

Member
SoSH Member
Nov 15, 2006
35,969
306, row 14
A trade market including Letang, Karlsson and OEL would be pretty wild.

Some chatter out there that Hoffman could be the first go from Ottawa. Really good player.