2022-23 NHL Season Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Chicago Blackhawks legend Bobby Hull dead at 84.

Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, a 12-time All-Star and two-time Hart Trophy winner, has died, the Chicago Blackhawks announced Monday. He was 84.

[KaiserDave]

I'm not an Ovie fan but damn man, that's impressive.

It is and it isn't. Crosby essentially ties him or slightly leads in points because the latter has always been a playmaker and a team player. It was recently reported that Ovi didn't want any rebuilding of the team while he's on his quest to make the goal record. That sums the guy up in a nutshell. The absolutely antithesis of the idea there's no I in team. So the coaches will keep putting him out to score empty netters every chance they can get and otherwise leave major holes in their program unplugged to accommodate their star, meanwhile the team languishes in the mid to lower part of the division and is in serious risk of not making the playoffs.

I'll take a consistent team playmaker like Crosby everyday of the week and twice on Sunday over a puck hog like Ovi.

Ovi sounds very much like Gretzky.

Much worse, grumps. Gretzky was the consummate playmaker as well. It was tough to argue Gretzky was somehow a puck hog considering the number of assists he racked up.

IMO, Crosby is still a better asset to his team because he has sacrificed stats to be the ultimate 200' player. 

Those arguing for Ovechkin being a superior player to Crosby are blinded by team-partisanship. Crosby is just such a team player and makes the Penguins whole lot better by being on the ice.

[T'Chenka]

RIP to Bobby Hull. Sad to see him go.

[T'Chenka]

Islanders trade Beauvillier (1.5 years left on contract), prospect Raty and 2023 1st round pick (top 12 protected) to Vancouver in exchange for Horvat (0.5 years left on contract).

Why Islanders do this is a bit confusing to me. Beauvillier and something else for Horvat makes sense for the Islanders to me, but Raty and a 1st? They aren't even confidently projected to be a playoff team, and Horvat is a free agent in the summer. It gets me thinking that the Islanders have talked with Vancouver and Horvat's agent, and are feeling confident that they can get Horvat to sign a contract extension.

[sting in the rafters]

NHL: We want to showcase younger stars during the ASG to improve marketing with casual/younger fans.

Also the NHL:
https://twitter.com/TaylorHaasePGH/status/1621969927920812034?t=cC3CCVWzjtSIxiiL...

[T'Chenka]

Tarasenko (50% salary retention)
Mikkola

traded from the Blues to the Rangers
in exchange for...

Blais
1st round pick
4th round pick (can become 3rd)
Skinner (young developing defenseman in AHL)

[dead0man]

considering his contract is ending after this season and he didn't want to stay in StL, this is a pretty good deal for the Blues.

[bagelman]

[T'Chenka]

Trade deadline moment (New Jersey Devils)

[T'Chenka]

Big-ish three way trade, the Toronto Maple Leafs beefing up for the playoffs.

TORONTO sends to ST LOUIS :
GAUDETTE, Abrahamov (Marlies winger), 2023 1st, 2024 2nd, 2023 3rd

TORONTO sends to MINNESOTA :
2025 4th

ST LOUIS sends to TORONTO :
O'REILLY (50% retained), ACCIARI

MINNESOTA sends to TORONTO :
- Pillar (21 year old junior player, nothing special at all)
- retain 25% of O'Reilly's salary (50% Blues 25% Wild 25% Leafs)

[T'Chenka]

A lot of big trades yesterday, including a 13-piece trade between New Jersey and San Jose where the Devils got Timo Meier and more and the Sharks got Zetterlund, Mukhamadullin, a 1st round pick and more. Tampa Bay overpayed Nashville to get Tanner Jeannott, giving up Cal Foote, and 5 draft picks (a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th). Colorado traded Englund for Jack Johnson, Dallas traded Gurianov to Montreal for a rental winger (Dadonov).

Also Nashville traded Neiderreiter to Winnipeg for a 2nd rounder on Saturday night, and Boston gave up a 1st rounder and other picks to get Orlov from Washington before that.

It's extremely likely that Patrick Kane is being traded to the NY Rangers in the coming days. Columbus will trade Gavrikov as a rental to a playoff team. Chicago will trade Lafferty as a rental. Anaheim will trade Klingberg as a rental.

[JGibson]

The Boston Bruins have a good chance to be the first team to punch a ticket to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, provided it defeats the Detroit in regulation AND either of the following occurs:

(1) The New York Islanders lose to the Washington Capitals in any fashion
(2) The Ottawa Senators lose to the Vancouver Canucks in regulation



They defeat the Red Wings in overtime or shootout AND either of the following occurs:
(1) The Islanders lose to the Capitals in regulation
(2) The Senators lose to the Canucks in regulation

[JGibson]

Blues G Jordan Binnington faces a 2-game suspension for his roughing up Ryan Hartman and attempting to incite fights in last night's 8-5 loss to the Wild.

https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/1636460122594484240

[Badger]

Blues G Jordan Binnington faces a 2-game suspension for his roughing up Ryan Hartman and attempting to incite fights in last night's 8-5 loss to the Wild.

https://twitter.com/StLouisBlues/status/1636460122594484240

Mark Andre Fleury being mic'd up and listening to his side of the fight is hysterical. " I don't like my hair like this" Amazing!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=g4PGfvR84c8

[Badger]

Anyway, despite crosby, malkin, and Letang all having good scoring seasons, the pens are likely to crash land into the playoffs and not go far. The third and fourth lines can't buy a goal with a blank check, and Tristan Jarry, for reasons I don't believe are entirely his fault, is having a mediocre year

[T'Chenka]

I suppose that the next 2 months will be the time when Washington meets with Ovechkin and asks him if he wants to stay on a losing team and retire in Washington, or be traded to a good team.

[Badger]

I suppose that the next 2 months will be the time when Washington meets with Ovechkin and asks him if he wants to stay on a losing team and retire in Washington, or be traded to a good team.

Nah. The reason he's on a losing team is because he's a puck hog who cares more about breaking Gretzky's record than actually putting up points.

[vtred]

Rangers last 2 games 6-0, 7-0.  Looking forward to a nice playoff run hopefully...

[KaiserDave]

Some opinions

1) Binnington is a juvenile thug who wastes away his talent with provocations and stupidity, MAF the bigger man in all respects.
2) The Rangers are HOT HOT HOT. They are finally gelling. With Shesterkin at his best, with Lindgren returning soon hopefully to join Fox, and that top 6 offensive lineup, the New York Rangers are, in my opinion the second best team in the NHL behind Boston. Beat Pittsburgh 6-0, and the Predators 7-0, and won their last four.
3) Really tough loss for Carolina losing Svechnikov for the season, not good at all
4) Connor McDavid needs even more respect than he currently receives, man is easily the most skilled hockey player we've seen since Lemieux and Gretzky, and is putting up totally incomprehensible numbers. In all likelihood he's going to put up +60 goals, a point total approaching 150, and take home the Rocket Richard, Art Ross, Hart, and Lindsay trophies. Lack of a Stanley Cup hangs around his neck like an albatross, but it's not for lack of trying. He led the 2021-2022 playoffs in points despite only making the WCF. He can definitely lead the Oilers back there, maybe more if the goaltending and defense is up to the task. If he can win a Cup he can finally clear away the doubters, and begin to enter the top 3/5 GOAT conversation, maybe win a few more and who knows...
5) Penguins are very much washed and I don't think they will make the playoffs. Not because of Sid though he's great per usual, blame Jarry and bottom 6.

[JGibson]

Connor McDavid was the first NHL player to reach 140 points since the 1995-1996 season.

https://twitter.com/espn/status/1640727048359403523

[T'Chenka]

Playoffs matchups are almost set in stone. I've bolded the ones that are 100% locked in.


Colorado vs Seattle
Dallas vs Minnesota

Vegas vs Winnipeg
Edmonton vs Los Angeles


Boston vs NY Islanders (or Pittsburgh)
Toronto vs Tampa Bay

Carolina vs Florida
New Jersey vs NY Rangers

[KaiserDave]

5) Penguins are very much washed and I don't think they will make the playoffs. Not because of Sid though he's great per usual, blame Jarry and bottom 6.

Boom

[T'Chenka]

UPDATE


(Colorado/Dallas) vs Seattle
(Colorado/Dallas) vs Minnesota

Vegas vs Winnipeg
Edmonton vs Los Angeles


Boston vs Florida
Toronto vs Tampa Bay

Carolina vs NY Islanders
New Jersey vs NY Rangers

[T'Chenka]

5) Penguins are very much washed and I don't think they will make the playoffs. Not because of Sid though he's great per usual, blame Jarry and bottom 6.

Boom

Very sad day for me as a Penguins fan. Crosby and Ovechkin both out of the playoffs. We'll see if both retire with their respective teams or chase after cups.

[T'Chenka]

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

ROUND ONE
Seattle defeats Dallas OR Colorado defeats Seattle
Colorado defeats Minnesota OR Minnesota defeats Dallas
Vegas defeats Winnipeg
Edmonton defeats Los Angeles
Boston defeats Florida
Tampa Bay defeats Toronto
Carolina defeats NY Islanders
New Jersey defeats NY Rangers

ROUND TWO
Colorado defeats Seattle / Minnesota
Edmonton defeats Vegas
Boston defeats Tampa Bay
New Jersey defeats Carolina

ROUND THREE
Colorado defeats Edmonton
Boston defeats New Jersey

STANLEY CUP FINAL
Boston defeats Colorado