NHL (2021-2022) v. Congrats Avs. Jack Johnson is a Stanley Cup Champion.

[Anguyen92]

Previous season thread: https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=55798.0

Training camp is upon us, but let us revel in what happened in this offseason.  Well, a lot of free agents signed for a buttload of money.  I think the final total of dollars in free agents for the league in the contracts signed has to be over $1 Billion.  Lots of "named" value defensemen had signed to some rather lengthy and huge contracts.

There are still some RFAs that are key players to their respective teams that still needs a deal.  Kirill Kaprizov (Wild), Elias Pettersson and Quinn Hughes (Canucks), Brady Tkachuk (Senators), and many others.

Will guys like Jack Eichel or Vladimir Tarasenko get traded before the season starts?

Also, the NHL stated that they will, reluctantly it seems, move forward with sending their players to the Olympics for the Winter Games next year.  However, and why the question marks in the title, it seems like they will have an out clause if certain things does not look favorable to their decision.  They will have until January to opt out, I think.

Anywho, let's us enjoy this full season and maybe we can go see a game or two live.  I'm looking at the Kings' weekend home game schedules and not many great matchups there for the rest of 2021.  They are playing the Habs on 10/30, but that's the same day as the DT show in LA, and I already bought the tickets for DT, oh well.

Edit: Shoot, I actually have a better subtitle in mind.  I forgot about Seattle.  We'll see what surprises they have for us in their first season.

[jingle.boy]

First!  With preseason coming up, I'm glad someone finally started a new thread.

Don't think I'm going back in on my Sabres season tickets, given the US border is still closed to essential personnel only.  I have no idea how Eichel moves, and anyone 'wins' the trade.  That is the most fucked up player situation in the last ... long while.  No idea what the sticking points are for those outstanding RFAs, but I don't think the Canucks are going to see Hughes or Peterson sit.  Kaprizov might "sit" in Russia though.

[King Postwhore]

Patrice Bergeron said he will wait until after the season to decide if he will play another season with the B's.  He's in his 18th season.  If this is indeed his last season, no one did it better, classier than he did.

[jingle.boy]

Patrice Bergeron said he will wait until after the season to decide if he will play another season with the B's.  He's in his 18th season.  If this is indeed his last season, no one did it better, classier than he did.

Ain't gonna argue that.

[SchecterShredder]

My group gave up our Oilers season seats before the 2019-20 season, and it honestly hasn't bothered me one bit. Will i miss going to playoff games? Sure, but i found myself not even wanting to go to regular season games because of the inconvenience (travel, cost -a beer or 2, parking if i drove instead of used the train, getting home at 11 or midnight and up at 5 the next morning). Having the benefit of hindsight in regard to covid, it makes it decision that much better. Sportsnet does a good enough job with the broadcast that I'd rather watch at home.

I'm optimistic about the Oilers. As was mentioned by others in the other thread, they're almost a lock for the playoffs in a weak Pacific Division. Overall, i think the team is better this year than last year, and I'll be surprised if they aren't pushing Vegas for the division.

[jingle.boy]

Did I miss their trade / signing of a #1 goalie??

[TAC]

Patrice Bergeron said he will wait until after the season to decide if he will play another season with the B's.  He's in his 18th season.  If this is indeed his last season, no one did it better, classier than he did.

I would cheat on David Backes with Patrice Bergeron.

[King Postwhore]

Patrice Bergeron said he will wait until after the season to decide if he will play another season with the B's.  He's in his 18th season.  If this is indeed his last season, no one did it better, classier than he did.

I would cheat on David Backes with Patrice Bergeron.

My boss said something to that effect when I let him borrow a CD from Sarah McLachlan.  He described listening to is like he was cheating on his wife.  LOL

[Cool Chris]

Ahem... it is RELEASE THE KRAKEN, not UNLEASH THE KRAKEN.

I played baseball, soccer, tennis, football, golf, basketball growing up. Watched them all on TV with my dad. He coached some of my teams. To me hockey was just a sport they played in Canada. I never bothered to watch it, learn it, appreciate it.

I am happy we have a team up here now, if only because it gets the region's sports fans something else to get excited about. With no NBA team, an MLB team whose playoff drought can legally buy alcohol, and only one top tier NCAA school within hundreds of miles, having another sports team is great. I love seeing people wearing Kraken gear.


* yes, I know I left out the Sounders and the Storm.

[jingle.boy]

So, are you a hockey fan then?

[Cool Chris]

No, I am not. I wish I could say I have it an honest chance. But I never did. So I don't hate it either. I just don't have any opinions either way.

[Anguyen92]

Ahem... it is RELEASE THE KRAKEN, not UNLEASH THE KRAKEN.

Good, I get to rile up the Seattle guy then.  The unintentional plan is working in building a rivalry among this community in the crappy Pacific division.

I could change it to your line, or I could go back to my original line of "Going to the Olympics in Beijing?  Fingers Crossed?"  Or not change it at all.

[Cool Chris]

Did you not read the rest of my post where I said I don't follow hockey?

Speaking of rivalries, it has always been a bit awkward here when it comes to rivals. UW-WSU is the best we have. In the pro sports, the closest teams are so far away. The Mariners have never really had a rival, due to both geography and 40+ years of sucking. The Sonics didn't really either, at least when I followed the NBA. When I grew up, we tried to think of the Broncos or Raiders as rivals of the Seahawks, but that was only because we were in the same division. Manufactured rivalries are no rivalries at all. We had the 49ers for a few good years because of Carroll/Harbaugh, but that is gone now.

[Anguyen92]

I did, I just choose not to focus on that part when making the response.  I mean, in your case, it's probably a good time to get into hockey with all of the newcomer buzz with the Kraken.  You are welcomed here.  Up to you.  The Kraken's closest divisional rival would be the Vancouver Canucks.  A team that has a fair amount of upside, and solid young talent, headed by a GM that seems to make a trade/signing that rips their fans' hair off every offseason.  I laughed at those fans a lot during 2011-2012, when the Kings had their cup-winning peaks, but it's just not as funny anymore.

[Cool Chris]

Honestly if this was 10 years ago, I'd be all over this. At this point in my life, sports just doesn't hold the level of interest it used to. But then here I am, at 930p at night on a Friday, posting in the NHL thread on the discussion forum centered around a prog-metal band. 

I so hope a natural rivalry with YVR develops organically, and doesn't just exist due to proximity. It seems that has happened with PDX in MLS.

[jammindude]

I have always been fascinated by hockey. But because of the LACK of coverage in a non-NHL city, it just made it more challenging to follow.

What's going to be SUPER WEIRD is having to try and pretend the Canuck's are "rivals", when they've actually been the closest thing I've had to a hometown team for the last 40 years.

I remember the classic V uniforms. I actually dreamed of owning one as a kid, but you couldn't exactly pick up NHL jerseys around here.

[SchecterShredder]

Did I miss their trade / signing of a #1 goalie??

I said better than last year, not top Cup contender. Remember, last season Koskinen was going to be carrying this team heading into camp. The team is better at the start just knowing Koskinen might end his NHL career in the minors. There's serious talk that Alex Stalok use going to win the back up job

[SchecterShredder]

I have always been fascinated by hockey. But because of the LACK of coverage in a non-NHL city, it just made it more challenging to follow.

What's going to be SUPER WEIRD is having to try and pretend the Canuck's are "rivals", when they've actually been the closest thing I've had to a hometown team for the last 40 years.

I remember the classic V uniforms. I actually dreamed of owning one as a kid, but you couldn't exactly pick up NHL jerseys around here.

That's exactly how so many Western Canadians became Seahawks and Mariner fans. Seattle was the closest city with a team. Well, maybe the Twins are closer to me, but nobody cheers for the Twins. Nobody

[jingle.boy]

Did I miss their trade / signing of a #1 goalie??

I said better than last year, not top Cup contender. Remember, last season Koskinen was going to be carrying this team heading into camp. The team is better at the start just knowing Koskinen might end his NHL career in the minors. There's serious talk that Alex Stalok use going to win the back up job

The fact that the chips are in the middle of the table on a 39-year old Mike Smith to carry the load should be concerning (I would think).

[SchecterShredder]

Did I miss their trade / signing of a #1 goalie??

I said better than last year, not top Cup contender. Remember, last season Koskinen was going to be carrying this team heading into camp. The team is better at the start just knowing Koskinen might end his NHL career in the minors. There's serious talk that Alex Stalok use going to win the back up job

The fact that the chips are in the middle of the table on a 39-year old Mike Smith to carry the load should be concerning (I would think).

100%.

Everyone in town is honestly hoping that Stalock turns out to be like a Dwayne Roloson: long time in the league, but very little mileage due to his time as a backup. He's looking really good coming into this season. Soooo, basically we're putting all our chips in either a 39 y/o tender or a completely unknown darkhorse. Damn that's depressing now that I'm saying it.

[jingle.boy]

Kinda like Jack Campbell last year, who turned out to produce the goods. It's not a bad thing to hope for, and not totally unrealistic.

[SchecterShredder]

Oil sign Yamamoto to a dirt cheap 'show me' contract. This could cause a difficult decision next year if both he and Jesse Puljujarvi have good seasons, as both will be RFA's next summer. If it means a deep playoff run, I'll still take it.

[Anguyen92]

Kings re-signed Cal Petersen.  $5M x 3 years that will kick in the season after this season.  I'm fine with it.  People say it may be too much money for a guy that hasn't started that many games (54 games in three seasons), but after this season, Quick only has one year left on his contract and the team needs to commit to a new starter and they deemed Petersen to be the guy for now.  He should be ok.  As for the team, it's a big we'll see and play the games out with the new guys they acquired and fingers crossed that their big prospects takes a bigger step/presence on the main roster and plays like it.

[Hyperplex]

Eichel stripped of his captaincy amid ongoing dispute regarding neck injury/surgery. He failed his physical with a herniated disc in his neck. Sabres won't name a captain this year.

https://www.nhl.com/news/jack-eichel-stripped-of-buffalo-captaincy-placed-on-ir-with-neck-injury/c-326273214

[SchecterShredder]

No surprise there. You can't have a guy as captain who's been very vocal about not wanting to play for your team.

[DragonAttack]

Meanwhile, regarding Covid and the Red Wings, you have this:

https://www.freep.com/story/news/health/2021/09/23/manny-legace-covid-19-henry-ford-macomb-hospital-detroit-red-wings/5831958001/

along with this:
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nhl/red-wings/2021/09/23/detroit-red-wings-tyler-bertuzzi-my-choice-refuse-covid-vaccine/5828912001/

Life choice, or a death wish.  Pick your poison.

[SchecterShredder]

Hopefully they give Bertuzzi the Rinaldo treatment and send him packing to the AHL. Big difference in player, though, between those two, so I doubt the wings will go that route. The oilers are keeping Josh Archibald out of camp for his vax status.

[jingle.boy]

Rich.. your hopes for Stalock seem to be up in smoke.

https://oilersnation.com/2021/09/22/alex-stalock-is-likely-to-miss-all-of-2021-22-due-to-a-heart-condition-developed-after-contracting-covid-19/

And yeah... I hope teams take a hardline on unvax'd players.  Test 2 x daily then, mother fucker.  COVID can show up at anytime, so players better damned well be negative before engaging with other players.

[SchecterShredder]

Rich.. your hopes for Stalock seem to be up in smoke.

https://oilersnation.com/2021/09/22/alex-stalock-is-likely-to-miss-all-of-2021-22-due-to-a-heart-condition-developed-after-contracting-covid-19/

And yeah... I hope teams take a hardline on unvax'd players.  Test 2 x daily then, mother fucker.  COVID can show up at anytime, so players better damned well be negative before engaging with other players.

For fuck's sake! I saw an Edmonton journal headline this morning about the oil's success being on the shoulders of Smith and Koskinen, but i didn't bother reading the article.

[jingle.boy]

Rich.. your hopes for Stalock seem to be up in smoke.

https://oilersnation.com/2021/09/22/alex-stalock-is-likely-to-miss-all-of-2021-22-due-to-a-heart-condition-developed-after-contracting-covid-19/

And yeah... I hope teams take a hardline on unvax'd players.  Test 2 x daily then, mother fucker.  COVID can show up at anytime, so players better damned well be negative before engaging with other players.

For fuck's sake! I saw an Edmonton journal headline this morning about the oil's success being on the shoulders of Smith and Koskinen, but i didn't bother reading the article.

So you're saying a wildcard spot would be a successful season!  Damn dude, I feel for you.  I really do.

[Anguyen92]

Should shoot higher than a wildcard spot.  This division is so bad and that there's no way McDavid cannot carry them to top 3 playoff spot alone.  Post-season, different story.  It will be Canucks, Flames, Kings, and Kraken fighting it out for the final top 3 spot and maybe a wild card (but the Central looks better that I see 5 teams from that division making the playoffs).  Lots of question marks on those four could-be teams I mentioned that needs to prove something this season.

[jingle.boy]

Knights (on paper) have a lock.  Oil should have a lock too... but if the Canucks and Flames get their shit together, and the Kraken gel out of the gate (including Grubauer playing like a Top 5 goalie), things could get dicey - especially if Smith plays like most 40-year olds do, and Koskinen plays like Koskinen.

I'd be nervous if I'm an Oil fan.

I'm nervous as a Leaf fan - I think they'll be fighting with Boston for #3, and the Metro could quite possibly have 3 teams squarely in the hunt for the WCs.

[Anguyen92]

Well, with the DT show being postponed, that left 10/30 opened for me.  I checked the available tickets for Kings and Habs and saw that the game was going to be at 1PM......  I could have done both in the same day without worry of overlap if the DT tour was still on in the Fall.

[TAC]

Pasta has his own ...pasta!




https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bruins-star-david-pastrnak-launches-limited-edition-pasta-for-good-cause/ar-AAPb9rC?li=BBnbfcL

[TheCountOfNYC]

Will the Rangers be good this year? Should I get my hopes up? In a stacked Metro division probably not, but I'm nothing if not stubbornly loyal to my teams. Hey at least we're back to the regular alignment and don't have to deal with Boston in the division this year.