NHL Thread

[iacas]

So, there's going to be a lot of interesting things happening the rest of July…

Mid-July: 2021-22 NHL schedule release

July 21: 2021 NHL Expansion Draft (Seattle), 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

July 23: Round 1 of the 2021 NHL Draft, 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

July 24: Rounds 2-7 of the 2021 NHL Draft, 11 a.m. (NHL Network)

July 28: Free agency opens, 12 p.m.

Mid-September: NHL Prospects Showcase in Tampa

Mid-Late September: Training camp begins

Late September: 2021 preseason begins

Mid-October: 2021-22 regular season begins

---

Some things have already begun happening:

 

[Shindig]

Okay, I said I'd do this for the 2019-20 hockey year but I evidently didn't.  Or maybe it was the year before.  I do want to know more about hockey and be able to watch it and understand what's going on.

Early last summer, I read more than half of the The Down Goes Brown History of the NHL.  I really enjoyed the history parts.  I read about two chapters of Take Your Eye Off the Puck, but I discovered that unless I watched a few games shortly thereafter, I couldn't really understand what I had read;  watching rest of the 2019-20 hockey season, or any 2020-21 hockey, with a friend in person was not going to happen, and I really fell off.  So hopefully this season I can start again.  

And now I have two hockey hats (instead of the one), although that was true last year at this time (I gave blood at the Pond back in late Spring 2020, and they gave a Ducks hat to everyone who did so).

However, last season I did accomplish something positive, hockey-related.  A friend of mine (the one who gave me the two books above, probably the only one of my close in-person friends who is into hockey) and I were in line for food a few months ago and my phone message alert went off.  It wasn't an important message, but I ad-libbed to my friend that hey, the NHL is replacing their director of player safety.  I paused a second and pretended to read the name "Thomas Wilson" as the replacement, and then he realized I was making a joke.

Anyway, so I guess I'll say the same thing, and hopefully this time it happens, let's try for this upcoming season.  I'll get some homework about it done between now and late September. 

[mcanadiens]

7 minutes ago, Shindig said:

Anyway, so I guess I'll say the same thing, and hopefully this time it happens, let's try for this upcoming season.  I'll get some homework about it done between now and late September. 

Compared to American football it isn't that complicated. ... Guess it is what you grow up with.

You want to do it big time, learn to ice skate. Didn't know what those guys could really do untill I tried it myself. It's a whole new level of appreciation.

[billchao]

As I understand it, buying out Parise and Suter was basically a now or never situation. The dead cap hit seems large but the way the numbers work out, they gain the most in immediate relief by doing it this year as opposed to next, and now they can protect Dumba in the expansion draft.

[iacas]

11 minutes ago, billchao said:

As I understand it, buying out Parise and Suter was basically a now or never situation. The dead cap hit seems large but the way the numbers work out, they gain the most in immediate relief by doing it this year as opposed to next, and now they can protect Dumba in the expansion draft.

Yeah. But man, $15M in dead cap for two years? When the cap will be under $85M probably? That's ~18%.

Was a dumb deal when they made it, and in a year or two, they're going to suffer for it.

[billchao]

1 hour ago, iacas said:

Yeah. But man, $15M in dead cap for two years? When the cap will be under $85M probably? That's ~18%.

Was a dumb deal when they made it, and in a year or two, they're going to suffer for it.

I think everyone knew the last years of those deals were going to bite them in the ass, one way or another.

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, billchao said:

I think everyone knew the last years of those deals were going to bite them in the ass, one way or another.

Yeah.

Someone asked about the only long-term deals that worked out for the teams. I think someone said Ovechkin… and one other person. I forget who right now.

Crosby's deal has been good. Malkin too. But those weren't the same level as Suter/Parise/Ovie/etc.

[Vinsk]

Well I gotta say all this has me wanting to start watching hockey. At least it’s face paced and plenty of action. I need to give it a try.

[billchao]

7 minutes ago, iacas said:

Yeah.

Someone asked about the only long-term deals that worked out for the teams. I think someone said Ovechkin… and one other person. I forget who right now.

Crosby's deal has been good. Malkin too. But those weren't the same level as Suter/Parise/Ovie/etc.

The Hossa deal worked out great for Chicago. But if you’re specifically talking about long term contracts where the players remained productive, I can’t think of any other players atm.

[Warren Zevon]

2 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Well I gotta say all this has me wanting to start watching hockey. At least it’s face paced and plenty of action. I need to give it a try.

 

  Do it, man.  The ice is calling you.

  I was reading on another site that the schedule for this year presented to the general managers has a break for Olympic hockey.   Just my opinion, but I hope it doesn't pan out. 

  I've never really cared for the international play when it comes to the league shutting down for a few weeks.  The only parts of it I find enjoyable is when a team  from the fringes score an upset or battle a close game against the stacked ones.

  As for the two somewhat big news stories so far, I'll give Keith about twenty five games before I make any decisions.  It's been a while since Edmonton had an experienced blue liner mentor the squad.  They tried with Andrew Ference, but between he and Dallas the wonderkid Eakins that failed horribly. 

  Absolutely crap deal for the Oilers in that Chicago isn't retaining a penny of Keiths contract.

  I wonder if Parise goes back to New Jersey or if Lou tries to sign him cheap in Long Island.

 

[billchao]

5 hours ago, Warren Zevon said:

I was reading on another site that the schedule for this year presented to the general managers has a break for Olympic hockey.   Just my opinion, but I hope it doesn't pan out. 

It’s a pretty important point for the players. I’m pretty sure it’s in the CBA.

[mcanadiens]

Just saw the Montreal players that the Kraken will have available for the expansion draft, starting with Carey Price.  The thought seems to be that Seattle won't want that big contract he'd come with. Shea Weber and Paul Byron are also among the exposed.

Still got to be a heck of a thing for fans of those old expansion doormat teams (think first-year Sens or Caps) to see these newcomers get such favorable treatment.

[Warren Zevon]

Well, it's good to see the league in general absolutely lose its mind today.  I can't remember seeing a busier  day of free agency in all my decades watching the sport.

[Club Rat]

RIP Tony

Quote

Hall of Fame goaltender who played almost his entire 16-year career with the Blackhawks, has died.

 

[iacas]

 

[iacas]

Carey Price is taking some time off to deal with some mental health stuff.

This clip deserves a watch, with the sound. And if you don't at least tear up a bit, consider leaving TST and never coming back. 😛

 

[mcanadiens]

Wow. Hockey season is here.

Jake Allen and Sam Montembault to defend the net.

Here we go.

 

[billchao]

Comcast’s agreement with MSG Networks ended on 9/30, so I can’t even watch the Devils play as of now.