NHL 2021 Irregular Season and Plagueoffs

StoiCynic said:

Exactly, Wahlstrom is the perfect example. Crazy he's still getting juggled on and off the taxi squad.

It's an interesting subject though. Stutzle and J. Hughes are playing around 18 minutes a night and getting PP time, but losing most games and getting hammered in advanced stats. Kakko and Laf are averaging 12 minutes a night with virtually no special teams, but playing competitive games with less to show on the scoresheat. Only time will tell which approach is best, tough to say.

I do know this fanbase would be even more livid if we had NJ's record though.

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Wahlstrom was exactly who I was going to bring up. I've seen a lot of their fans not happy with the trade they made with the Devils because it ended up pushing Wahlstrom out of the lineup right when he was heating up.

Trotz got a lot of shit for it here in Washington, too, when he would bench/sit Vrana and Burakovsky. Who knows, though, if all of that helped them develop faster or actually stunted their growth until later.

I honestly can’t think of a coach who people praise for using youth to their liking. I think fans put to much value on young players ice time. Vets are vets for a reason and get used the way they do because they know how to handle certain situations and coaches know what to expect out of them.

DJ Smith seems to be the only coach developing youth well. But really he has no option when everyone on the team is 18 years old lol.

I definitely think there is a line, though, where it's laughable some young guys aren't getting more minutes over some clear bottom 6 at best vets. Obviously team situation matters a lot. The Rangers for instance have time to bring guys along a little slower. Maybe not next year if they really made changes b/c they were unhappy with their perceived lack of progress this year, though.

Merrith said:

I definitely think there is a line, though, where it's laughable some young guys aren't getting more minutes over some clear bottom 6 at best vets. Obviously team situation matters a lot. The Rangers for instance have time to bring guys along a little slower. Maybe not next year if they really made changes b/c they were unhappy with their perceived lack of progress this year, though.

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Rangers have some different cap issues. They have been massively over the bonus cushion the past 2 seasons which takes a big bite out of the next years cap. If they arn't playing young guys, I'd assume its to keep the performance bonus hits of all their young guys down.

Byr said:

Rangers have some different cap issues. They have been massively over the bonus cushion the past 2 seasons which takes a big bite out of the next years cap. If they arn't playing young guys, I'd assume its to keep the performance bonus hits of all their young guys down.

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Smith is their only real impact UFA, though. Obviously some RFA guys are going to get raises but key guys like Fox is still on his ELC another year, same with Kakko. Laf and Miller both still have 2 more years on ELC's. It's possible some of it was to keep bonuses to Laf and Kakko down. Shesterkin missed time so that may save them some $, too. Think they'll be okay next year. After next season might be a little tougher when Fox and Kakko get their first RFA deals and Zibanejad is going to get PAID.

Yeah, I think for the most part the performance bonus situation has really sorted itself out. There was a lot of taxi squad movement on off days that really circumvented alot of that and provided extra wiggle room.

It's really just about nobody's like Blackwell, Rooney and Digiuseppe getting more TOI than Kakko, Lafreniere and Kravtsov and that is a legit gripe. Especially if we were still "rebuilding", which up until last week was the message. Lafreniere not on either PP and Kakko barely getting any reps on PP2 is odd when you have Strome playing his offhand on PP1 and the guys I mentioned up top on PP2. Same goes for 3on3 OT, just questionable deployment overall. But fans tend to ignore the positives like Fox, Lindgren and Miller. Even Kakko went from being one of the worst Forwards last year to one of the better defensive wingers in the league. Obviously something is working, but DQ only gets credit for the bad.

As for this summer, literally anything goes. We have a ton of cap getting shed, but that can disappear quick. Any two or more of Mika, Buchnevich, Strome and Chytil will be moved for certain. I expect a few blue chip prospects will go as well. And then there is the expansion draft... gonna be a crazy few months.

Woo some good offseason drama, lets gooo!

Jfc.... just... wow

StoiCynic said:

Jfc.... just... wow

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Reinhart is RFA, I know he's going to get PAID, but are they really not going to bring him back? Maybe expose him to Seattle?

Between the Sabres with Eichel and Reinhart. And CBJ with Laine and Jones and Elvis's comments today. Its gonna be a fun offseason. Hoping the Kraken get some goods from them.

Man, I hope Anderson never makes it out of the AHL again. Toronto does so much better without him, and he's something like 13-8-2 for the year with a .291 average. Toronto is so much better off without him.

If Kuznetsov really is on the chopping block for us, or even if we're just listening to trade offers, I wonder if our GM calls up Buffalo about Eichel this offseason. A whole heck of a lot of other pieces/salary would have to be a part of it but interesting thought.

Sure is quite the clown show in this TB vs FL game

Merrith said:

If Kuznetsov really is on the chopping block for us, or even if we're just listening to trade offers, I wonder if our GM calls up Buffalo about Eichel this offseason. A whole heck of a lot of other pieces/salary would have to be a part of it but interesting thought.

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Earlier in the season everyone kept saying LA or NYR. Id love to see a rebuilding team like that dump all their young high draft pick prospects for Eichel just for the drama. That ROR trade blew up badly for Buffalo. I dont know how they trade Eichel and get worthwhile value for him.

Boston it is. Going to make the game against them tomorrow pretty weird. Guessing both teams rest whoever they can.

Penance said:

Sure is quite the clown show in this TB vs FL game

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Gonna be a great series. Hitching my wagon with the underdogs.

As for the Metro, guess i'm rooting for the Pens and B's. Fucking gross.

Honestly no clue whose coming out of that division, it's anyones game but i'm thinking Boston if Rask finds his game.

Those central and metro matchups are gonna be good.

StoiCynic said:

Gonna be a great series. Hitching my wagon with the underdogs.

As for the Metro, guess i'm rooting for the Pens and B's. Fucking gross.

Honestly no clue whose coming out of that division, it's anyones game but i'm thinking Boston if Rask finds his game.

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Who do you consider the underdogs? Cause it isn't Florida. They've been beating our ass all season.

Penance said:

Who do you consider the underdogs? Cause it isn't Florida. They've been beating our ass all season.

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The defending champs ain't the underdogs, i'm sorry. TB might be winning the season series if their best Center wasn't circumven.... err, resting for the playoffs.

But jokes aside, you're right. Florida is legit this year. Still gotta favor TB though imo.

I honestly don't know who to favor in any division except Toronto in the North. The other 3 just seem like at least 2 teams could come out of any of them. Nobody would shock me in the East if any of them got hot.