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

[TAC]

1 X $4M still feels like a steal for the Blues. I can't believe no one else didn't bite on Hoffman.

[Anguyen92]

I think teams just don't have the cap space to afford him or he thought he was going to get more and that's why he turned down any initial deals during the start of the FA period or teams don't want to sign him due to the "baggage."

[SchecterShredder]

Based solely on what went down in Ottawa, I'd say Hoffman's wife is most of the baggage

[gmillerdrake]

Based solely on what went down in Ottawa, I'd say Hoffman's wife is most of the baggage

StL has had a good streak of 'problem' players coming to this team and changing their ways so to speak. Ryan O'Reily being the last example. Hoffman is talented and can play.....it seems like he'd fit in as far as just hockey. Maybe the StL locker room or the city in general is something that can help change the baggage issue that's talked about. Who knows?

[Anguyen92]

Well, this is an interesting twist.  Henrik Lundqvist is not able to play this season with the Capitals due to a heart condition that requires surgery and this will highly actually close the door on his professional career.  How does the Capitals respond?  Well, they have signed Craig Anderson to a PTO to try to figure out the goalie situation, but that's not all.  They also signed Zdeno Chara to a one-year deal in the amount of $795,000?

https://twitter.com/Capitals/status/1344387723847729158

[TAC]

Dammit, was just about to post about Chara..

[Anguyen92]

Dammit, was just about to post about Chara..

Well, you can post his Instagram post regarding his goodbye.  You can quote it as well.  I won't stop you.

[gmillerdrake]

Dammit, was just about to post about Chara..

Well, you can post his Instagram post regarding his goodbye.  You can quote it as well.  I won't stop you.

As if Tim knows what Instagram is. 

[Anguyen92]

Dammit, was just about to post about Chara..

Well, you can post his Instagram post regarding his goodbye.  You can quote it as well.  I won't stop you.

As if Tim knows what Instagram is. 

Yeah, but I was hopeful that he can find some way to post Chara's post on his goodbye to Boston.

[jingle.boy]

Funny... jingle.kids and I were just talking earlier today about who's going to be the Caps' starting goalie.  They really need to make some kind of move for a Tier 1 goalie if they want a chance to finish top-4 in the East.

[TAC]

Funny... jingle.kids and I were just talking earlier today about who's going to be the Caps' starting goalie.  They really need to make some kind of move for a Tier 1 goalie if they want a chance to finish top-4 in the East.

Oh, you mean they didn't sign Chara to play goal? The guy can't fucking skate!

[KevShmev]

But he can sure exaggerate a boo-boo on his jaw...

[gmillerdrake]

But he can sure exaggerate a boo-boo on his jaw...

    

[jingle.boy]

But he can sure exaggerate a boo-boo on his jaw...

 

I'll bet 1/2 the Blues roster wouldn't play thru a broken jaw.  I'll give this to Chara, he's a f'n tough SOB

[TAC]

I can take a good ribbing, but not at the loss of the Stanley Cup. That's too painful of a blow. Humility boys. Humility.


Had the Bruins won that Cup, Chara coming back would've been fucking legendary. Legendary. I feel bad he didn't get rewarded for his efforts.

[gmillerdrake]

I can take a good ribbing, but not at the loss of the Stanley Cup. That's too painful of a blow. Humility boys. Humility.


Had the Bruins won that Cup, Chara coming back would've been fucking legendary. Legendary. I feel bad he didn't get rewarded for his efforts.

Yes he was hurt. I just don’t buy to the level that NBC pimped it out to be for the storyline.

And Chad.....I can’t recall the exact injuries but like every team who makes it that far the Blues entire roster was playing hurt with something that would cripple you or I.

[jingle.boy]

I can take a good ribbing, but not at the loss of the Stanley Cup. That's too painful of a blow. Humility boys. Humility.


Had the Bruins won that Cup, Chara coming back would've been fucking legendary. Legendary. I feel bad he didn't get rewarded for his efforts.

Yes he was hurt. I just don’t buy to the level that NBC pimped it out to be for the storyline.

And Chad.....I can’t recall the exact injuries but like every team who makes it that far the Blues entire roster was playing hurt with something that would cripple you or I.

Fair enough.  Every team has a lot of hidden injuries - SCF or even Round 1 (Hyman on the Leafs was playing with a torn ACL against the Bruins 2 years ago).  Broken jaw is something else, imo... just try breathing thru that things when your heart is pumping at 175bpm

[TAC]

I can take a good ribbing, but not at the loss of the Stanley Cup. That's too painful of a blow. Humility boys. Humility.


Had the Bruins won that Cup, Chara coming back would've been fucking legendary. Legendary. I feel bad he didn't get rewarded for his efforts.

Yes he was hurt. I just don’t buy to the level that NBC pimped it out to be for the storyline.

He had a broken jaw that was fucking wired shut.


I mean, I don't know how anyone could look down their nose for that. Fuck, man.

[gmillerdrake]

I can take a good ribbing, but not at the loss of the Stanley Cup. That's too painful of a blow. Humility boys. Humility.


Had the Bruins won that Cup, Chara coming back would've been fucking legendary. Legendary. I feel bad he didn't get rewarded for his efforts.

Yes he was hurt. I just don’t buy to the level that NBC pimped it out to be for the storyline.

He had a broken jaw that was fucking wired shut.


I mean, I don't know how anyone could look down their nose for that. Fuck, man.

Tim. I’m not looking down my nose or discounting the injury. My beef lies more with NBC’s coverage of it. You’d have thought he took a bayonet I’m the gut at Normandy the way they were acting. He’s not the first hockey player to play with a jaw wired shut. Not suggesting it’s small potatoes or wasn’t admirable but.....NBC was over the top with the way they were slobbering all over the narrative.

[TAC]

OK, fair enough. The hype machine can be a bit much.

[Anguyen92]

Tim. I’m not looking down my nose or discounting the injury. My beef lies more with NBC’s coverage of it. You’d have thought he took a bayonet I’m the gut at Normandy the way they were acting. He’s not the first hockey player to play with a jaw wired shut. Not suggesting it’s small potatoes or wasn’t admirable but.....NBC was over the top with the way they were slobbering all over the narrative.

I'm sure NBC probably did the same (maybe even worst considering whose the guy) when they were showing Penguins games during the time Crosby had to wear a more-custom mouthguard when he took a puck to the face a couple of years back.

[KevShmev]

I can take a good ribbing, but not at the loss of the Stanley Cup. That's too painful of a blow. Humility boys. Humility.

I wasn't ribbing about the loss in the Finals; I was making a pun about Chara. And I pretty much agree with Gary's take on it today.

And honestly, even though I am not really the gloating type, I'd probably be still boasting about the Cup win more here if not for you and Joe, but I try to tone it down and not run my mouth (posts) about it too much out of respect for you guys.

[TAC]

Somebody's gotta keep you in check.

[KevShmev]

Haha, I will say this, though: 2019 has made it easier to watch highlights of past Cup winners.  Before then, it was nauseating, but now that we've got ours, I can watch the others and enjoy them.  Except when the Blackhawks or Red Wings win.  I won't watch any of those.  They are far too gross.

And I should also point out that whoever puts together those video packages of playoff games to post on YT does an awesome job. You can watch a 10-12 minute highlight package of a great playoff game and it feels like you just watched a whole game.  Okay, not quite, but sorta close. 

[TAC]

Haha, I will say this, though: 2019 has made it easier to watch highlights of past Cup winners.  Before then, it was nauseating, but now that we've got ours, I can watch the others and enjoy them.  Except when the Blackhawks or Red Wings win.  I won't watch any of those.  They are far too gross.

Losing 2019 actually makes it harder to watch the 2011 Cup highlights. It's weird.
I mean, I had just gotten over the 2013 Cup loss.

[KevShmev]

Nah, you gotta enjoy the wins!  I have watched most of the game highlights of most of the Blues wins in 2019 more times than I can count, but I refuse to watch any of the losses.  The Game 3 San Jose game would only enrage me again.

[Anguyen92]

I mean you gotta enjoy those wins in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals.  Just utter dominance by Boston on top of top-tier goaltending from Tim Thomas.  I think that was one of the rarer occasions where non-Boston fans were rooting for them to win going against Vancouver.

[jingle.boy]

Not me.

[SchecterShredder]

I sure was, but i fucking hate Vancouver. More than i hate Calgary or the Leafs. It was worse back then with Burrows, Kesler and Bieksa all running their mouths. I'm getting angry just remembering it.

[TAC]

I actually liked Bieksa.

[jingle.boy]

I sure was, but i fucking hate Vancouver. More than i hate Calgary or the Leafs. It was worse back then with Burrows, Kesler and Bieksa all running their mouths. I'm getting angry just remembering it.

Bet you love the HNIC intermissions now!  I quite enjoy Bieksa as an analyst.

[TAC]

I'd take that guy on my team any day.

[KevShmev]

I mean you gotta enjoy those wins in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals.  Just utter dominance by Boston on top of top-tier goaltending from Tim Thomas.  I think that was one of the rarer occasions where non-Boston fans were rooting for them to win going against Vancouver.

IIRC, by the time Bruins/Canucks got to the series decider, I just wanted a good Game 7, which we didn't get.  Oh well.

And then those dopes in Vancouver tried burning their city to the ground.

[jingle.boy]

I mean you gotta enjoy those wins in the 2011 Stanley Cup finals.  Just utter dominance by Boston on top of top-tier goaltending from Tim Thomas.  I think that was one of the rarer occasions where non-Boston fans were rooting for them to win going against Vancouver.

IIRC, by the time Bruins/Canucks got to the series decider, I just wanted a good Game 7, which we didn't get.  Oh well.

And then those dopes in Vancouver tried burning their city to the ground.

Yeah, that Game 7 was one of the most embarrassing efforts I can recall from this century.

[KevShmev]

That Canucks team was highly skilled, but soft.  I re-watched some of that game recently and it's amazing how many little battles they lost. It felt like the Bruins were outworking them and winning the great majority of the battles for loose pucks and whatnot.  Meanwhile, they were always leading in SOG, which can be a flawed stat in the sense that one team outplaying another is not always reflected in that area.