PerreaultForever

Sports culture, not hockey culture, but times are changing. Tons of it has gone on, no doubt. Maybe it's being stopped now though.

Definitely disgusting. Without question. Definitely despicable. I don't know if "prey upon" is the right word though. This isn't the same as a stalker or pulling someone off the street, that's predatory. You could make the argument that taking advantage of someone in a vulnerable position/situation is predatory, but I think if a lawyer went that route they'd probably weaken their case and lose.

Oh I know. Expansion is all about lining the pockets of owners no question so they probably will. I'm just saying I wouldn't want it. Product is diluted enough as it is.

imo league shouldn't go over 32 teams. Move some clunkers rather than add if you want but 32 is more than enough.

Could be, but they were holding out for a high price. It could also explain NJ's poor start. A little locker room distraction so to speak. I don't think there's any question these guys took part in a disgusting event. Likely criminal but definitely classless and morally wrong. It'll all come down to "consent" arguments though and high paid lawyers ripping this poor girl apart. Maybe times have changed, but historically these things don't go well for the victims unfortunately. Look at Ben Roethlisberger for example.

Pegula will sell the team.

I thought there were 7 or 8 people involved though? So does that mean some non hockey players as well or people around but not engaged in the activity? idk, but the details are still vague obviously. Talk that this might not go to trial until 2026. These guys could be "on indefinite leave" for a while or forever.

A lot obviously depends on the GM too. Long running veteran GMs likely don't feel as fragile as some of the younger shorter term ones. Look at the Islanders for example. It always comes down to is it the players or is it the coach though and it's always easier to blame/change the coach. GMs on the other hand get 3, 4 maybe 5 years before they get turfed (usually).

So a new VO. (just poking fun, I agree there is always potential at that age)

Well yes, that's what I mean by "winning puck battles". They have to finish their checks though. They don't have to pound people around but at times you do have to make contact. If you don't, the opposition knows it and plays accordingly.

I think this is Pegula. The coaches in question all come cheap and are not powerful or steadfast in their own right. They will say yes to him. Guys like Torts or Trotts will do things their way or not at all. Good teams go back and forth? I don't think so. Not back and forth often. Bad teams sure. Part of the problem.

Long standing Pegula problem for sure and yet their rhetoric was something about how they got bad advice from hockey people if I remember correctly. Initially, remember they were going big time for Babcock. That was a hockey guy (pre his issues that came to light) and they got stung by him using us as leverage. So they went for another presumably qualified guy in Bylsma. Now I don't actually think he was a "fraud". Coachella's in first place in the Pacific AHL. Bylsma had little skill on the roster so he tried to follow a shut down model. imo he's still the best of a sorry lot in the Pegula era, even if his hockey was dull to watch. The logic of Housley was based on "it's a new NHL, new game, we need new young minds not dinosaurs". So in essence it was a flip from the previous failure but it was a dumb idea. Kreuger was mind boggling. All I can think of in terms of the logic is they felt they had the talent, but what Jack and others really needed was a personal motivator which is what he was supposed to be. Clearly he was more of a fake hype man and clearly had no clue. Maybe the dumbest coaching hire ever. Now Granato was a cheap easy hire. maybe they quietly tried for others who said no, we don't know that and likely never will, but the new logic was young team we need a teacher to talk softly and teach nicely. Massage those fragile young egos into success. I can see the logic in each hire, but what it lacks is consistency and a clear vision. We keep changing the approach and it shows the man at the top has no idea but won't turn it over to a hockey guy to hire experienced hockey guys. Granato imo would make a fine assistant. A good cop to soothe the fragile youngsters but the head coach has to be able to play bad cop and whip them into shape. We need a guy with authority, even if it's partly through fear.

Maybe. Keep in mind I'm not questioning his skill. Just how that will translate to the NHL with his size.

Well it's kind of true for all hockey teams but what I think is really missing from this team is a constant aggressive forecheck. It's pretty clear that we have no plans to play shut down hockey and tight defense. Our defense is based on the idea of getting it out of our end quickly and then possessing the puck down the ice. Best defense is a good offense kind of simplification That's clear, and it's also clear that what it leads to is possession around the wall with low danger scoring chances and when we don't have the puck in our own end we often crumble and look disorganized. We flounder. We don't box out well and net front kills us. With the style they want to develop the missing ingredient is the heavy forecheck. That includes finishing checks, hitting their D, puck battles, tenacity. Knocking them off the puck. Hurrying them. Creating that same sort of mess and confusion in their end. Florida style. If we added this to the current system we might be on to something. At the very least it would be far more exciting and fun to watch but I think with the skill players we have they could cash in heavily on that chaos, much like Reinhart is in Florida. We really have to decide and go with it. Either tighten up and back check. 1-2-2 or 1-3-1 OR turn that around and go all out 2-1-2 or 2-2-1. With the speed and size we have I really think the latter could work, but it would take an added element of physicality that we don't have at this point or at least don't use.

Whichever guy we trade away.

Well, no doubt the fanbase is broken, hardly surprising right? But to the point, I disagree. You simply do NOT have to "win the trade" , you just have to get the thing you need/want that makes your roster better. Fills a hole. We can afford to trade a more talented (for lack of a better word) player(s) to get the player(s) with the right skill sets we need. It's the whole roster that matters, not what any one individual player brings. It's how the roles on that roster are filled and that might take "losing" a few trades to get what we need. I think this is why VO never got moved and now his value has dropped. KA wanted to "win the trade" and that just wasn't going to happen for a one dimensional player like VO.

Then this would be for Pegula

Ya, it's all negotiated and mandated and that is the way it is. The time for running them through it and setting the (higher) level of expectation was training camp. Granato instead, coddled them, told them all how great they were, and just got through it as if it didn't matter. They were just one point out. No need to change anything right?

I know you are being sarcastic/snipey but I simply see more potential in Kulich than I do in the other 3 mentioned. That's all. They could ALL bust and they could surprise but that's my current assessment.

Yes of course, but then we'd end up with threads on measuring techniques, over vs. under, and length vs. girth, not to mention the analytics crowd taking over with graphs and charts on size vs. efficacy and performance levels in "high danger" areas.

5'11 and a very slight 163 lbs. Watching him at the Worlds I thought he was very fast and very talented but he is incredibly slight of frame and looked small even among these other pre-NHLers. I don't see it working. It's possible, but I just don't think so. Kulich I do think can still become an NHL sniper but he has work to do. For the right deal though I'd trade any of them.

Except there won't be without some moves or signings. The guys in the system might have talent, but they are either not ready or do not fill the holes on the roster we have. Next year will be the same again without some big changes.

We should have just taken Mintyukov instead of Savoie (and then Snuggerud instead of Östlund but that's a different topic). The guy I really liked at the time was McGroarty, but that was probably never in the cards in terms of rankings. Not taking Warren in the second round was just plain dumb. To move up to Jiricek though idk. Probably more than would have seemed like a good idea at the time.

Couturier is very good BUT the injury would worry me. Don't see him leaving the Flyers though. I think Lindholm will end up in Boston next year via free agency. They might go a different route, but next year their cap changes significantly and he'd fit that system. There are many options but I'd also actually see if Ottawa wants to unload Pinto . I think he could be an ideal 3C and Thompson I'd then trade for the D man and/or goalie. Not exactly a veteran and yes, a bit of a gamble - barump bump.