NHL (2020-2021) v. Draft, sign, & trade.

[Nick]

Old one here: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=54128.0

Apologies, should have done this before the draft.

[jingle.boy]

First!  Prediction, Leafs will not win a the Cup, but will make it out of the first round this year.  Prediction #2, Nylander and/or Andersen will not finish the season as Leafs.  Maybe not even start the season as Leafs.

[Anguyen92]

I'm happy with the guy, the Kings drafted at #2, Quinton Byfield.  Big Center.  Looks like his ceiling is pretty high and he is now part of a lot of promising Center prospects that Kings have at the moment.

As for the free agency, ehhh, I'm fine with the Kings standing pat for now.  The last time we made a splash in free agency, it was probably the worst signing we've made in a long time and the worst part of it is that I, and other people, knew that signing was bad when it was announced.  That Kovalchuk signing just makes me sick to my stomach to this day.

Other than that, we got a defensemen from the Blackhawks and all we paid for was taking in $3.3M in cap space and give a prospect that's going nowhere in our system to them.  it closes the difference in cap space between Doughty's contract and the next guy (which before the stoppage was Doughty at 11M and Ben Hutton at 1.5M).

Predications and expectations?  I just want to see this team make some form of progress.  18-19 season.  There was no hope and plenty of despair that season.  19-20 season.  More of the same, but that last month before the stoppage was the best stretch they have and the most hopeful I have of this team.  This next season if it happens?  Let's get a couple of our promising prospects get some NHL games in and play the best they can and grow as players and hope our veterans are still performing adequately.  Expand on what they did right in the last month of play.  I'm not expecting a playoff spot (and probably end up bottom 5-10 again), but it would be a nice surprise if it happens.

On a side note, when watching the draft, that was pretty cool to see Alex Trebek announce Ottawa's #3 pick, Jeopardy-style.  Other notes from that draft.  Dang, Bettman was starting to look his age rather than looking like a guy that's always in his 50s and has a face that looks like he's making creepy intentions.  Also, we all know long pretty darn long people were making their picks in and that the GMs was milking the clock for all of its worth.  Holy cow.

[jingle.boy]

Yeah... I noticed that Bettman had aged quite a bit since last year's SCF.  Looks like he lost some weight (not like he was big to begin with), and that showed his wrinkles and a little 'gaunt-ness'?

Off the top of anyone's head, name a UFA free agent signing where a player moves teams that is considered a good/great signing (over the past 10ish years).  There's lots that I can think of where players stay with their team (Malkin, Crosby, Ovi, Stammer, Burns), but it seems most 'bad' deals are for teams aggressively going after someone, and over-paying over the long-haul.  Bobs is going to be a terrible deal - hell, it already is.  Unless he suddenly becomes the second coming of Martin Brodeur, the Panthers are gonna regret that deal for the entire length of the contract.  I'm already not much of a fan of the Tavares deal.  Not sure how anyone thinks Vegas is getting a win on the Petro contract.

[gmillerdrake]

Petrangelo's breakdown of pay. So I learned that the signing bonus money is 'lump sum' paid out on the same day each year. Say what you want about the Newport Agency.....but they got their guy everything he wanted AND in a state with no state income tax. And he has the full no movement clause.

[Anguyen92]

Yikes, I know COVID makes it tough to have a huge guarantee signing bonus in the early years of the contract, but it's going to look like a horrible contract from 2022-2026 if he starts slipping from a performance standpoint if those are the payouts.

[gmillerdrake]

Yikes, I know COVID makes it tough to have a huge guarantee signing bonus in the early years of the contract, but it's going to look like a horrible contract from 2022-2026 if he starts slipping from a performance standpoint if those are the payouts.

Yeah. Looks like he's doing them a favor for the first two seasons.....then the next four after that they are hooking him up big time!!! Especially 2022-2026 like you mentioned.

[jingle.boy]

He doesn't need a NMC, especially for the last year of the contract - who the hell is gonna want a 1:1 Salary:Cap hit at that age and that amount!!   

[Anguyen92]

Jumbo Joe heading to the Leafs on a one-year minimum deal contract.  I wonder what he can bring at his age that can inspire this Leafs team to finally be a kickass playoff team?

[jingle.boy]

Jumbo Joe heading to the Leafs on a one-year minimum deal contract.  I wonder what he can bring at his age that can inspire this Leafs team to finally be a kickass playoff team?

Experience, and grit.  Getting him on the cheap is good.  I'd rather have a guy like him (and Spezza) on my fourth (maybe 3rd) line, than Nic Petan.  And if you're thinking "who?", then my answer is "exactly".  It also may give them the ability to move Alex Kerfoot, if they think that Jumbo and Spezza can both handle the 3rd/4th line C spot.

Dubas finally got the memo that young/small/speed/skill (offensive) doesn't cut it in today's NHL.  Adding Simmond, Jumbo, and Bagosian gives them exactly the things they've been missing.

[TAC]

Mike Emrick retires.

[pg1067]

Mike Emrick retires.

Good for him.

Bob Miller will always by my #1 hockey play-by-play guy, but Gary Thorne and Mike Emrick are 2a and 2b.

[TAC]

I loved Gary Thorne.

[jingle.boy]

Mike Emrick retires.

It was time.  For me, he was the US version of Bob Cole.  Coley retired last year as well, as it was time.  He wasn't mentally sharp, and he'd regularly make mistakes in his observations of the plays and mis-identify players.  I'm not sure if that was starting to plague Emerick, but the one-and-only time I listened to him during the round-robin, it seemed he'd certainly lost a step.  There was no charm in his play-by-play... he was literally just calling players names and stating what they were doing with a very limited repertoire of descriptions.  I mean, listening to jingle.son play NHL2020, there's more emotion in the announcers there.

[Anguyen92]

I think the lack of live atmosphere and the fact that Doc had to call the games off-site may have had something to do with him losing a step.  I enjoyed Doc when watching the NBC Sports feed at times.  Sure, he's not perfect, but I think his enthusiasm when calling the games makes up for it and get the home viewers intrigued of the game and, to me, that's the important part of commentary.  He made Pierre McGuire bearable when both are on the commentary team for certain games which is a big task to take on.  I remember a Summer Olympics (don't remember what year) where both of them was calling a Water Polo tournament together for the NBC telecast.

[gmillerdrake]

What I enjoyed about him was listening to the utter disappointment sad realization in his voice when the Blues beat the Stars, Sharks and then Bruins to win the cup. He was horrible at hiding the fact he was pulling for whichever team the Blues were facing that Stanley Cup run. I thought at one point he was going to go down to the bench in each series and blow Benn....then Thornton then Chara. He called a nice game but I don't think he was very good at hiding the teams he'd prefer to see win.

[Anguyen92]

I don't think Doc was the one that called Blues/Stars and Blues/Sharks from that year.  It was Kenny Albert that called it from what I remember.  He's the one that usually calls the Western Conference series.

[gmillerdrake]

I don't think Doc was the one that called Blues/Stars and Blues/Sharks from that year.  It was Kenny Albert that called it from what I remember.  He's the one that usually calls the Western Conference series.

I may be thinking of the over the top Chara love then. I get my 'rage' mixed up sometimes.....so much to go around when concerning announcers and Blues hockey.

[Dittomist]

I will miss Doc very much. He was so damn good at his job and always made the games extra exciting.  "OOOOOOOOOH AND A REMARKABLE PLAY BY BINNINGTON!!!  MYYYYYY GOODNESS!"

[TheCountOfNYC]

Mike Emrick retires.

Please for the love of god NBC do not put Pierre McGuire in the booth!!!

[Anguyen92]

Mike Emrick retires.

Please for the love of god NBC do not put Pierre McGuire in the booth!!!

I wouldn't worry about that.  They would not make the crazy decision to have Pierre McGuire be lead broadcaster.  Anywho, here's a nice video from Doc reflecting on his long long career which goes hand in the evolution of the NHL ever since he started his broadcasting career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqGpNspdZB4

[TAC]

Mike Emrick retires.

Please for the love of god NBC do not put Pierre McGuire in the booth!!!

I wouldn't worry about that.  They would not make the crazy decision to have Pierre McGuire be lead broadcaster.  Anywho, here's a nice video from Doc reflecting on his long long career which goes hand in the evolution of the NHL ever since he started his broadcasting career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqGpNspdZB4

Interesting at the  2:34 mark where he says "I hate the Blues.".

[jingle.boy]

Yeah, zero chance of creepy Paul McGuire getting a play-by-play role. Broadcasters just can’t transition like that. Just like refs and players, ya gotta get experience and hone your craft in the juniors/minors before getting a crack at the big show.

[TAC]

Who do you think will become the lead play by play guy?

[pg1067]

The local Fox Sports outlet had been airing "classic" LA Kings games, and I watched the September 1991 outdoor game in Vegas between the Kings and the Rangers.  Kings won, but the Rangers took a 2-0 lead on goals by rookies Tony Amonte and Doug Weight.

Hearing "two-line pass" calls and seeing players having to touch-up for icing brought back memories.

Who do you think will become the lead play by play guy?

Could be Mike Tirico (https://barrettsportsmedia.com/2020/10/20/could-mike-tirico-replace-doc-emrick-on-nhl-games/#:~:text=NHL%20All%2DStars%20In%20Prime,Hall%20of%20Famer%20Eddie%20Olcyzk.%22), but I'd think Kenny Albert or Dave Strader would be more likely.

[TAC]

Pretty sure it won't be Dave Stader.

[pg1067]

Pretty sure it won't be Dave Stader.

Maybe Stadler.

[jingle.boy]

Pretty sure it won't be Dave Stader.

Maybe Stadler.

Oh, I'd get a NHL Network subscription to listen to that.  All we'd hear about is how fans should be cheering equally loudly for both teams, and whether there was equality in the officiating holding both sides to the same standard.

[TAC]

Pretty sure it won't be Dave Stader.

Maybe Stadler.

Oh, I'd get a NHL Network subscription to listen to that.  All we'd hear about is how fans should be cheering equally loudly for both teams, and whether there was equality in the officiating holding both sides to the same standard.

Yup, and it had been building that way for years, and Bettman is simply a product of that. Except it'd be a lot wordier (than that), of course.

[jingle.boy]

Pretty sure it won't be Dave Stader.

Maybe Stadler.

Oh, I'd get a NHL Network subscription to listen to that.  All we'd hear about is how fans should be cheering equally loudly for both teams, and whether there was equality in the officiating holding both sides to the same standard.

Yup, and it had been building that way for years, and Bettman is simply a product of that. Except it'd be a lot wordier (than that), of course.

He appreciates the grit and grind of old-school physical hockey, but doesn't want fighting in the league anymore and loves the speed and skill of the new generation.

[axeman90210]

And so much Kiss played in the background coming in and out of commercial breaks

[TAC]

Yup, and their worst songs at that.

[jingle.boy]

Yup, and their worst songs at that.

Lmao!!

[Stadler]

And it would be a ratings BONANZA!!

[jingle.boy]

And it would be a ratings BONANZA!!

I'd watch/listen!