**** Official 2023-24 NHL Thread ****

[RockChalk]

Time to reboot for the upcoming season.

Anyone interested in doing a fun (or even low cost $25) Fantasy NHL League?

[ChiefsCountry]

The ESPN hockey theme music has always been so bad ass.

[Why Not?]

Tkachuk and OEL win! That’s the closest the Coyotes will ever be to winning a Cup so I’ll take it!

[tredadda]

Right call on the Conn Smythe though. Also what’s up with Bettman? It’s like he has Parkinson’s or something.

[Otter]

Originally Posted by Why Not?

Tkachuk and OEL win! That’s the closest the Coyotes will ever be to winning a Cup so I’ll take it!

Congrats to Florida. An exciting series.

[Tundra Scout]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Right call on the Conn Smythe though. Also what’s up with Bettman? It’s like he has Parkinson’s or something.

It would have felt dumb if a guy who put up Gretzky numbers didn’t win it. Bob put up a save % that would have been good for 28th in the league this regular season. With that said he made some incredible saves during the tourney. I’m sure he couldn’t care less about not getting it. McDavid deserved it though

[GeorgeZimZam]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

How many Canadians comprise the Panthers? I'd assume 80%+

No.





https://thewincolumn.ca/2023/10/12/b...ening-rosters/

[FloridaMan88]

The Dolphins now have the longest championship drought in South Florida sports.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by Tundra Scout

It would have felt dumb if a guy who put up Gretzky numbers didn’t win it. Bob put up a save % that would have been good for 28th in the league this regular season. With that said he made some incredible saves during the tourney. I’m sure he couldn’t care less about not getting it. McDavid deserved it though

This is why I am glad that he won it. They didn't just base it on the best player for the winning team, but the best player overall despite his team losing. More often than not the best player on the best team in the playoffs gets the playoff MVP award, but there are exceptions and this Stanley Cup Finals was that exception.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Draisaitl had three points this entire series, all assists with two in the 8-1 blowout after 109 points in the regular season. He was the most worthless player on Edmonton this series.

And his complete inability to get anything done made Edmonton lean harder into McDavid and it KILLED him.

The last 2 games of the series, McDavid was clearly on fumes.

In game 2 he absolutely buries that chance with 7 minutes left. He just didn't have the legs left to take that one stride and finish through contact. He tried to just scoop it without using his lower body and that's why it got stoned.

He was spent. He had nothing left. And had Draisaitl given them anything at all in this series, they could've used him a little more judiciously and still had something left in the tank for him in Game 7.

He played his ass off, but by the end the needle was on E.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Right call on the Conn Smythe though. Also what’s up with Bettman? It’s like he has Parkinson’s or something.

McDavid's gonna putt hat Smythe in his attic and nobody will ever see it again. Winning the Conn Smythe is going to be salt in the wound for him. ESPECIALLY when he couldn't finish that chance late.

He's going to replay that attempt in his mind every day for the next 4 months and that Smythe staring back at him from the mantle while he does it won't make him feel any better. That things going in the cargo hold on the airplane and he may get around to picking it up in a few weeks. Last thing he wants is to sit shotgun with that trophy on the airplane as they head home empty-handed.

[DJ's left nut]

Boy - the Blues kinda took it to Edmonton a bit last week.

Broberg for a 2nd and Holloway for a 3rd after Edmonton declined to match dual offer sheets.

And yeah, the Blues overpaid on the contracts a little to force Edmonton's hand, but it doesn't matter because STL had the cap space to do it this year and next (and both deals are only 2 year deals). And even when those contracts expire, both guys will STILL only be RFAs. So the Blues can either recover the compensation they lost to acquire them or they can extend them in their own right.

That said, I really think Broberg will play up to his contract and we'll see him signed to a long-term extension as soon as he's eligible. I like his game a lot and he stepped up biggly in the playoffs. Holloway did as well but he's still just a 3rd liner who can play on the 2nd line if needed.

Really zero downside at all to this move for STL. Maybe some team gets angsty about it and throws an offer sheet at Jake Neighbours in a couple years because of it, but that seems unlikely (it damn sure won't be Edmonton with the cap situation they're in).

Blues appear playoff caliber to me at this point.

1st line is a playoff caliber line, as are the 3rd and 4th lines. I think they have a solid first 3 Defense group (if not stellar) in Parayko, Faulk and Broberg with plenty of options to find that 4th top 4 d-man. The goaltending should be strong again.

So they're a little weak on the 2nd line and 3rd pairing but I think that makes them a playoff contender rather than a Cup contender. The Central got better and that's a complication (**** right off, Predators) but I think the Blues should be in the fight all season.

Y'know, unless the coach they went ahead and extended for no real reason turns out to be the JAG I think he probably is.

We shall see.