NHL 2022-2023: FA July 13th - LET IT BEGIN

[King Postwhore]

Got to finish.   Loss on B's.

[jingle.boy]

The Bruins have had a pretty favorable strength of schedule so far, but after tomorrow's game against Chicago, their next 10 games are:

@ TB  W 5-3
@ Florida L 5-2
Canes W 3-2
TB W 3-1
Avs W 5-1
Vegas  L 4-3 (SO)
@ Avs W 4-0
@ AZ L 4-3 WTF?
@ Vegas
NYI

Bruins outshoot the Coyotes 46-16 and lose. On the GWG, they got caught sleeping on a possible icing, giving up on the play. Even with the shot advantage, the Bruins simply had no fire tonight.

Ah yes... the old fallacy of playing to the level of your competition.  Frustrating af.  But I'm happy to see a loss on the Bs.  Any sign that they might be coming back down to earth is appreciated.

SorryNotSorry

[King Postwhore]

 

Love you too Chad.

[jingle.boy]

During the Isles/Devils game last night ....

Hughes, who led all skaters in ice time (26:01), played the final 6:02. It is the longest shift since the NHL began tracking the stat in 2009-10.

Holy fuck.... 6+ minutes. That's insane.  Wonder how many whistles there were in that time.

[axeman90210]

Yeah, I didn't see the game last night but there was some chatter about it afterwards. There were a number of icings on the Islanders because the Devils had their goalie pulled for the last 7+ minutes of the game, and I think one team timeout and one TV timeout. And it was mostly possession time in the Islanders' zone, so not a lot of skating up and down the ice. Still, pretty nuts.

[TAC]

Hughes, who led all skaters in ice time (26:01), played the final 6:02. It is the longest shift since the NHL began tracking the stat in 2009-10.

Holy fuck.... 6+ minutes. That's insane.  Wonder how many whistles there were in that time.

I'd love to be able to go 6 minutes.

Wait wut?

[TAC]

Mitch Marner is one greasy little motherfucker. The kid barely looks 16 y/o.

[jingle.boy]

Mitch Marner is one greasy little motherfucker. The kid barely looks 16 y/o.

He's been growing that 'stache since the beginning of Movember.  He even teased himself about it at the end of the month when asked if he was looking forward to shaving it ... "my fiance likes whatever this is called on my face". 

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/video/marner-credits-maple-leafs-teammates-for-record-tying-streak-despite-ugly-finish/ (fast forward to the final 20 seconds)

Nice to get an OT win finally.  That was not a fun one to watch - literally... my DVR is fucked up, and kept freezing, so I missed the 1st and 3rd Leaf goals, and a couple of the Flames ones as well.

[TAC]

The Bruins have had a pretty favorable strength of schedule so far, but after tomorrow's game against Chicago, their next 10 games are:

@ TB  W 5-3
@ Florida L 5-2
Canes W 3-2
TB W 3-1
Avs W 5-1
Vegas  L 4-3 (SO)
@ Avs W 4-0
@ AZ L 4-3 WTF?
@ Vegas W 3-1
NYI

Fuck yeah! Big boy win. Linus Ullmark is playing out of his tits.

This 10 games stretch was going to tell a lot, I was thinking. I'll update after the dreadedfirsthomegameafteraroadtrip, but that'll be it. I think the Kings are in after the Isles.

[King Postwhore]

Hell of a win tonight. Had to stay up even with the 5am wake up call.

[TAC]

Hell of a win tonight. Had to stay up even with the 5am wake up call.

I've been on vacation this past week, and I'm actually still off tomorrow, returning Tuesday. Finally timed a vacation and B's Western road trip properly.

Of course Pats tomorrow night..

[jingle.boy]

So... Leafs/Ducks tonight.  Leafs haven't lost in regulation in 14 games; Ducks only have 1 regulation win all season; Ducks are on a B2B with travel (albeit, from Ottawa).

Pretty sure the Leafs will play down to their opposition, and the Ducks are going to win in regulation tonight.

[TAC]

The Bruins have had a pretty favorable strength of schedule so far, but after tomorrow's game against Chicago, their next 10 games are:

@ TB  W 5-3
@ Florida L 5-2
Canes W 3-2
TB W 3-1
Avs W 5-1
Vegas  L 4-3 (SO)
@ Avs W 4-0
@ AZ L 4-3 WTF?
@ Vegas W 3-1
NYI W 4-3 (SO)

7-2-1

I was curious to see how they'd do in this stretch.

[TAC]

So... Leafs/Ducks tonight.  Leafs haven't lost in regulation in 14 games; Ducks only have 1 regulation win all season; Ducks are on a B2B with travel (albeit, from Ottawa).

Pretty sure the Leafs will play down to their opposition, and the Ducks are going to win in regulation tonight.

Geez, that game was tight! 

[jingle.boy]

So... Leafs/Ducks tonight.  Leafs haven't lost in regulation in 14 games; Ducks only have 1 regulation win all season; Ducks are on a B2B with travel (albeit, from Ottawa).

Pretty sure the Leafs will play down to their opposition, and the Ducks are going to win in regulation tonight.

Geez, that game was tight! 

Yeah, apparently the Leafs were able to avoid playing down to the competition.

So, does Ovi get 800 on a hattie?

[Anguyen92]

^^ I mean it would make sense if he can get to 800 while on a hat trick on this game and hey, he did it.

Btw, don't watch the goal with the ESPN commentary.  That was a garbage call.  The Capitals radio announcers did it justice.

https://twitter.com/timandfriends/status/1602887494768410624

[Nick]

JFC. Bertuzzi manages to injure both of his hands blocking shots in the course of the same season, and now Dylan Larkin has done the same to one of his. So far he's out for tonight, but no word on if he'll be out even longer.

[pg1067]

^^ I mean it would make sense if he can get to 800 while on a hat trick on this game and hey, he did it.

Btw, don't watch the goal with the ESPN commentary.  That was a garbage call.  The Capitals radio announcers did it justice.

https://twitter.com/timandfriends/status/1602887494768410624

Chelsea Dagger that!

Ovechkin now has 20 goals in 31 games this year (.6452 goals per game), which is fairly on par with what he did over the prior 5 seasons (222 goals in 353 games for .6289 goals per game).  He's on a pace for 52 goals this season, which would be his highest number since 2014-15, which would take him to 832.  If he can stay healthy, snatch up the tickets for whenever Washington comes to your town in 2024-25.

[TAC]

Love love love Minnesota's retro uniforms!

[jingle.boy]

Holy fuck players are stupid and careless these days.  I just saw the Reaves hit on Hronek.  WTF was Hronek doing!?!?!  I've said it plenty over the years, players do not learn how to properly keep themselves out of dangerous positions.  They expect the refs to keep them protected far too often, and then shit like this happens.  I don't mean to victim blame, but this is entirely Hronek's fault.

[gmillerdrake]

Holy fuck players are stupid and careless these days.  I just saw the Reaves hit on Hronek.  WTF was Hronek doing!?!?!  I've said it plenty over the years, players do not learn how to properly keep themselves out of dangerous positions.  They expect the refs to keep them protected far too often, and then shit like this happens.  I don't mean to victim blame, but this is entirely Hronek's fault.

Part of the issue is more and more players are 'allowed' to skate around like that because more and more those types of legal hits aren't being laid on these players.

You get an "old school" guy like Reaves seeing some guy skating around like he's not going to get hit and he is licking his chops.

100% legal hit and IMO a few of these 'pretty boy' players need to receive two or three of these a year to keep them honest.

[Nick]

Fuck. I was at a work party last night, didn't see the game, any highlights, etc. Don't know anything about this Hronek hit, hopes he's not injured.

[Nick]

Okay, you can absolutely line up and deliver a big hit to Hronek there. BUT the primary point of contact was the head, which is incredibly dirty. Reaves should be seeing a suspension, and hopefully a lengthy one.

[pg1067]

Principal point of contact was the chest, not the head.  The DPS has already said there will be no supplemental discipline.  One of the things they consider in deciding whether supplemental discipline is appropriate:  "Whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable."  Rule 48.1(ii).  Per the Wings' coach:  "I think Fil would want his play back, obviously exposing himself."  Even the Wings players don't think it was dirty.

From a Wings blog:  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-red-wings/ryan-reaves-wont-face-discipline-for-hit-on-filip-hronek

[gmillerdrake]

Principal point of contact was the chest, not the head.  The DPS has already said there will be no supplemental discipline.  One of the things they consider in deciding whether supplemental discipline is appropriate:  "Whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full body check unavoidable."  Rule 48.1(ii).  Per the Wings' coach:  "I think Fil would want his play back, obviously exposing himself."  Even the Wings players don't think it was dirty.

From a Wings blog:  https://www.audacy.com/971theticket/sports/detroit-red-wings/ryan-reaves-wont-face-discipline-for-hit-on-filip-hronek

Yeah.....that was a 'clean' hit because of the point made here.....principal point of contact was the body/chest. Sure, the head eventually took some flak but it wasn't targeted. It was a stand up and fair hit.

[pg1067]

I think we may sometimes lose sight of the fact that the rule doesn't prohibit any contact with an opponent's head.  The rule (48.1) is as follows:  "A hit resulting in contact with an opponent's head where the head was the main point of contact and such contact to the head was avoidable is not permitted."  For the rule to be violated all of the following must be present:  (1) contact with an opponent's head; (2) the head must be the main point of contact; and (3) the contact with the head must be avoidable.

The rule then goes on to cite things that should be considered in "determining whether contact with an opponent's head was avoidable":

"(i) Whether the player attempted to hit squarely through the
opponent's body and the head was not "picked" as a result of poor
timing, poor angle of approach, or unnecessary extension of the
body upward or outward.

(ii) Whether the opponent put himself in a vulnerable position by
assuming a posture that made head contact on an otherwise full
body check unavoidable.

(iii) Whether the opponent materially changed the position of his body
or head immediately prior to or simultaneously with the hit in a way
that significantly contributed to the head contact."

[jingle.boy]

Okay, you can absolutely line up and deliver a big hit to Hronek there. BUT the primary point of contact was the head, which is incredibly dirty. Reaves should be seeing a suspension, and hopefully a lengthy one.

I kinda see what you're saying, but I still think you're full of shit.  HOW THE FUCK ELSE IS HE SUPPOSED TO HIT HIM??  Hronek is accelerating and leaning forward.  Would you rather Reaves lean down even further and Goldberg-spear him??  Unless the NHL simply wants to eliminate open-ice hits, players have to stop putting themselves in vulnerable positions.

Man, you're a Detroit homer already!   

This video breaks it down perfectly, imo.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvG87E08zQo (2 mins)

Again, this one is fully on Hronek, imo.

[KevShmev]

Clean hit I suppose, but even as someone who HATES the Red Wings, I don't like seeing someone drilled like that.  I love a good clean hit, but not when the head is involved.  Reaves, like most hockey enforcers, is basically a thug on skates, so you always have to be alert when he is around obviously.

[SchecterShredder]

So at the Edmonton  vs. St Louis game, and the Blues open up with a penalty for not having the listed 5 skaters start the game.  Didn't even know that was a rule. Anyways,  Blues paid for it lol

[Anguyen92]

I mean it sounds like such a simple rule that there's no way any team should get a penalty on it.  Just start with the five skaters on your list on the ice.

[gmillerdrake]

So at the Edmonton  vs. St Louis game, and the Blues open up with a penalty for not having the listed 5 skaters start the game.  Didn't even know that was a rule. Anyways,  Blues paid for it lol

Yeah.....that was weird.

[Nick]

Okay, you can absolutely line up and deliver a big hit to Hronek there. BUT the primary point of contact was the head, which is incredibly dirty. Reaves should be seeing a suspension, and hopefully a lengthy one.

I kinda see what you're saying, but I still think you're full of shit.  HOW THE FUCK ELSE IS HE SUPPOSED TO HIT HIM??  Hronek is accelerating and leaning forward.  Would you rather Reaves lean down even further and Goldberg-spear him??  Unless the NHL simply wants to eliminate open-ice hits, players have to stop putting themselves in vulnerable positions.

Man, you're a Detroit homer already!   

This video breaks it down perfectly, imo.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvG87E08zQo (2 mins)

Again, this one is fully on Hronek, imo.

You can't claim to want head hits out of the game and then allow a hit with the principle point of contact to the head just go unpunished.

In many senses of the word, this was a clean hit, I get it. But it was also a extremely dangerous hit. Sort of like when a guy turns at the last second leading to a boarding call, as shitty as it is, you gotta recognize and not follow through with everything you wanted to do to a player there. Reaves has to find a way to not fucking plow a guy primarily through the head.

[Luoto]

This video breaks it down perfectly, imo.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvG87E08zQo (2 mins)

Tough Call's respective and more detailed take, which I agree with: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q-DByxKBy8

He extended forward and left due to a weight transfer which picked the head as a result, staying centered would've got him square on Hronek's body. You can't really claim that the main point of contact was shoulder/chest after the slow-mos in that video. As for Hronek doing what he did, it was apparently a miscommunication where he thought there's a delayed penalty and was checking for an assumed goalie pull. Regardless, he didn't change his posture prior to the hit so it doesn't really matter per the rules.

You can't claim to want head hits out of the game and then allow a hit with the principle point of contact to the head just go unpunished.

Completely agree. The NHL has a somewhat toxic stance on hits to the head with the "it's just how it is" attitude and victim blaming, even though we know what kind of dire consequences brain trauma can have. Players getting hit to the head are actually just in a normal athletic posture in a lot of these cases, you cant skate fast with a straight back.

[jingle.boy]

I guess we'll just agree to disagree.

He extended forward and left due to a weight transfer which picked the head as a result, staying centered would've got him square on Hronek's body.

When watching it real time, I cannot begin to fathom how someone can think that Reaves' weight transfer was to "pick the head" as the principle point of contact.  It's just more likely that he was simply and naturally bracing for the impact.

Look, I'm not fan of Reaves or care much about the Wild, nor do I have any ill-will to the Wings.  But a suspension here would be BS.  The ONLY way to 100% remove head contact is to make it a non-contact league.  Period.  The league's responsibility is to hold players accountable to situations that were avoidable.  Reaves was not the individual that made the head contact in this hit "unavoidable".  You want to suspend someone because of this head contact, suspend Hronek.  And I'm only 96% joking.  It's never gonna happen (nor should it happen), but players need to make it THEIR OWN responsibility to proactively protect themselves, rather than rely on the refs or DPS handing out penalties and fines and suspensions to remove head contact.  Play the fucking game smarter.  When I cross the road, I look both ways.  I don't rely on the laws and the po-po and the hospital to protect my wellbeing.  I take responsibility for that.  Players (in all sports) should as well.

And Nick ... yes, I do think many of the boarding penalties and suspensions are bullshit when a player turns his numbers to the hitter abruptly, and there is no way for the hitter to change course.

[pg1067]

You can't claim to want head hits out of the game and then allow a hit with the principle point of contact to the head just go unpunished.

In many senses of the word, this was a clean hit, I get it. But it was also a extremely dangerous hit. Sort of like when a guy turns at the last second leading to a boarding call, as shitty as it is, you gotta recognize and not follow through with everything you wanted to do to a player there. Reaves has to find a way to not fucking plow a guy primarily through the head.

The principal point of contact was NOT the head.  Was it a dangerous hit?  Yeah, it was.  Hockey's a bit of a dangerous sport.  I quoted the rule.  If the puck carrier is going to act in a manner that is inconsistent with a concern for his own safety, the opponent, who makes a legal hit, shouldn't be penalized or disciplined.

Stated differently, what Chad said.


Oh...and also....kudos to the Kings for finally pulling their collective head out of their ass and getting a big win on the last game of a long road trip!