2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Rosh]

Suspension for Brown? That looked pretty dangerous and he targetted the head.

He cant do much when the player bows down the second before, it was a good hit, BUT an unfortunately result.

[Zeoni]

Flames start their 4th line, Philly matches with their 1st. Surprisingly enough, no brawl ensues. No top line stars jumped by goons. HMM.

[VanillaO]

Just a reminder - the Leafs/Canucks game is at 6 EST for some ungodly reason.

[Epuration]

omg, watching the puck drop one of the old guys says"who gives a shit, as long as you're getting paid" XD

[Zeoni]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N63LeOyB8x8

so accurate

[Masqerader]

3 words

Kessel, Bozak an JVR

[Greeney]

3 words

Kessel, Bozak an JVR

Who would have thought kessel would get a Gordie Howe hat trick?

[Rennadrel]

Who would have thought kessel would get a Gordie Howe hat trick?

Kessel will probably be the Hart Trophy candidate for the Leafs, if he isn't the leading candidate for the award there is something wrong with the voting process.

[Greeney]

I think ovechkin will get it. Bishop deserves to be considered as well. Thinking east only ATM.

[Zeoni]

Getzlav or Crosby for me at this point. I think Anaheim isn't quite as good if Getzlav isn't just a juggernaut so far. And it's tough to not include Tavaras, if Okposo is playing with anyone else is he really a top 10 point producer? Crosby is just having a Crosby-esque season. He's the only player well above a ppg pace right now. Pretty insane if you put personal opinions about the guy aside. The thing I look at the most out of anything is how much better they make players around them. Okposo with Tavares, Kunitz and Crosby ect.

[Tradewind]

Flames start their 4th line, Philly matches with their 1st. Surprisingly enough, no brawl ensues. No top line stars jumped by goons. HMM.

But Torts said that if you start your 4th line...you, aaaahhh fuck it, it's too easy.

I'd have had a few extra chuckles if Berube went charging down the hallway at Hartley though, at least that might have been scary.

[VanillaO]

I would like Tavares to get injured for the last month of the season so everyone can see just how bad that team really is and how much he carries them. The guy is 100% a Hart candidate, but he just happens to play for a laughing stock. For someone reason everyone gets on Ovechkin will really have to wow in the last bit of the season to get a nomination imo... Yes, he scores a lot of goals, but the Capitals are also a bit of a wreck right now (better of late, but still not in a playoff spot at 11th in the East).

If Kessel continues this streak after the Olympics and finishes in the top 3 in scoring, I could see him being one of the 3 finalists, but he likely won't win it over Crosby, because the voters tend to just give it to the guy with the most goals or points. It's kind of frustrating to see. On the one hand, obviously the guy with the most points in the league is pretty valuable to his team, but on the other hand the case could be made that a guy like Tavares or Kessel are vastly more important to their team. It's no surprise that the Leafs' streak of 11-2-1 to finish before the break coincided with Kessel going on a streak of 25 points in the same time frame. He had 2 points in the 4 games before that (the 4 game losing streak.. in fact both points came in the last loss of that streak) and is averaging just shy of 2 points a game since. He has a legitimate chance to have his first 40 goal and 90 points season of his career, and the Leafs' playoff ambitions largely rely on his performance. Whereas the Penguins seem to win, even in Crosby isn't popping in his usual amount of points.

- - - Updated - - -

Also, I think the NHL should consider changing the Hart Trophy's purpose, or making a new trophy or something to make it just about the best offensive forward. It's been won 6 times by goalies in almost 100 years and only once by a defenceman since Bobby Orr won 3 in a row. I'm not against a goalie or D winning it, I just think they should separate them maybe. Like when Verlander won AL MVP some people were like 'that is what Cy Young is for'. But in baseball, they still have silver slugger and golden glove awards, which to the average fan means nothing (but to baseball fans is a serious sign of a good player). I dunno if it's really necessary, but just something I've thought about over the years.

[Masqerader]

To be fair Kessel got a roughing minor.. so not really and official gordie howe hat trick


though the NHL needs to do something about these tough guys who hide behind full face protection that like to swing and slash. Then again Burrows is french so....wuss goes with the territory

[Rennadrel]

Well the Hart goes to the player most valuable to his team, Crosby isn't the only guy on the team playing well. The Rocket Richard is for the best goal scorer and Kessel is very much still in that race.

[Greeney]

Getzlav or Crosby for me at this point. I think Anaheim isn't quite as good if Getzlav isn't just a juggernaut so far. And it's tough to not include Tavaras, if Okposo is playing with anyone else is he really a top 10 point producer? Crosby is just having a Crosby-esque season. He's the only player well above a ppg pace right now. Pretty insane if you put personal opinions about the guy aside. The thing I look at the most out of anything is how much better they make players around them. Okposo with Tavares, Kunitz and Crosby ect.

Without Crosby or getzlaf respective teams are still going to playoffs IMO. Without Bishop tb is worse than buffalo. Without kessel leafs are bottom three.

[Rennadrel]

Without Crosby or getzlaf respective teams are still going to playoffs IMO. Without Bishop tb is worse than buffalo. Without kessel leafs are bottom three.

I disagree, without Stamkos, St Louis and Bishop, Tampa Bay would be one of the worst teams in the league. Without Stamkos they have struggled at times to score and they have been faltering lately so clearly Bishop wasn't the only reason for them winning. With or without Kessel, Toronto wouldn't be that bad if they had all the other guys there though. And remember, the Leafs were pretty lousy when he was first acquired and he was the best player on the team bar none, now that there is a supporting cast, he isn't the only great player on the team now, but he is still the best.

I think Bozak surprises a lot of people and he has had plenty of moments in the last couple of years where he has shown that he is a #1 guy up the middle. Maybe you can argue that he doesn't have the numbers to be a #1 C but his numbers are good enough to put him in that role for the time being. Kadri has had ample opportunity to show what he can do but he needs to be more consistent, which is why I don't believe he will be a #1 C for at least a few more years yet, if he ever makes it to that level that is. Regardless, he has probably the strongest upside and potential as a #2 C of any player in the league right now and if he can elevate his game and become more consistent, he will be one of the best overall in the position. I am really interested to see what Gauthier will bring to the Leafs in a couple of years, he is a big guy that plays physical, if he develops into a #1 C in the minors then he would be good between Kessel and JVR as an extra big body to go to the net, giving JVR more opportunity to use his skilled hands with the puck.

[VanillaO]

Ovechkin is on pace for like 55 goals. If Kessel were to catch him, he'd literally have to score just over a goal a game.. don't think he really has a chance in hell - he'll be lucky to get to 50, being at 31 with 22 games left.

[Bonsaii]

Ovechkin is on pace for like 55 goals. If Kessel were to catch him, he'd literally have to score just over a goal a game.. don't think he really has a chance in hell - he'll be lucky to get to 50, being at 31 with 22 games left.

For some reason I just don't think Ove will hold up over this season. He's missed 14 games already, and he's only going to tire more.

[Zeoni]

Without Crosby or getzlaf respective teams are still going to playoffs IMO. Without Bishop tb is worse than buffalo. Without kessel leafs are bottom three.

For sure but I'm not sure if Anaheim is even as close to as dominant and Crosby will be nominated regardless. He's the best player in the world and is dominating the point race. It shoulden't be the deciding factor, but it should certainly mean something for Hart considerations. The reason I personally would say Kessel won't end up in the nominations is that he's not a center. Having an elite centerman like Crosby, Tavares, Getzlaf, Thorton, ect is much more valuable to your team than a point scoring winger (I realize he's listed as a center but with that faceoff %, he's not a centerman). Those 4 centers score just as many points (Thorton falling off but still) and still have a defensive role. That's why I don't think players such as Kane or Kessel will get a nod. If Toews scored elite level points he would be deserving too especially when you look at that faceoff %, that's insane for a full time centerman. If a winger is going to win the award, they best be scoring just a godlike amount and having a meaningful impact on his teams success. I don't think Ovie has scored enough points to warrant a Hart win. For as many goals as he's scored, you have to remember he's -17. I don't always look at +/- as that important of a stat unless the # is something like that. 17 is big imo. The dude takes a stupid amount of shots too, of course he's going to score a bunch of goals with numbers like that. Shooting % isn't that high either but how can it be with almost 300 shots lol.

A guy like Suter probably won't get a nomination but I think he should be in consideration. He plays half the fucking game for christ sakes. To play that much and still have a positive +/- is pretty damn impressive. Without Suter, Minnesota is a 10th place team I'd say. You definitely notice when he isn't playing a good game too, when the Flames played the Wild recently he had a weak game and it was very noticeable.

[Armourboy]

Without Suter the Wild are dead in the water, playoffs aren't even being talked about for them at all. Don't get me wrong, Weber is just as important for us, but even he isn't playing that kind of time. I know from watching him in Nashville for years he is a durable guy, we asked him to play lots of minutes too, but he is playing way more than we ever asked him too. Still makes me wonder how he is going to be holding up and feeling come playoff time, or heck even just down the stretch.