2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[ketzil]

The residents of Uniondale NY voted to reject the proposed new stadium for the Islanders. Looks like the Isles days are numbered in new york.

[Fuzzzie]

Bummer, but on a positive note, only 48 days until the first pre-season game!!!

[Irony]

Well, Islanders are done. Can Hamilton get a team now, please?

[conscript]

Apparently the Islanders don't have more than 34,000 fans lol. Even if it did pass there was still the very real chance that it got shot down by the board and the financial overseers. Moral of the story is that this is what happens when town politicians mettle with a privately owned hockey team. It killed the Yotes and any chance that team had of ever making money or at least not losing it the last couple years. It sunk the Islanders when the zoning commission shot down Yang's completely privately funded Lighthouse Project a few years ago that would have brought tons of jobs into the area with a new arena, shopping complex, and housing. Now the Islanders will be moving in 2015. Got to love politics in America. The politicians can't keep their damn hands out of anything and all it does is end up ruining everything.

Can't wait to see all the articles that pop up about how everything turned against the Yes vote yesterday. Massive hail storms, the train line dying for hours, etc.

[Asera]

I like how they completely destroyed my interest in the Jets with that horribly cheesy logo. :x

The best part is the logo incorporates an F-16.

Canada has none of these.

[Irony]

Emery to the Hawks, very surprised hes just now getting picked up, he'd be cheap and has shown starter qualities. Oh well, my hope of Detroit signing him have been dashed.

[jrojason]

The East is going to be very interesting this year. Lots of movement... Anything can happen, really. The way I see it:

100% playoff teams (should all win their divisions comfortably):
-Pittsburgh
-Boston
-Washington

Beyond that, it gets foggy...



- Philly: So much turnover it's hard to say. Lost 2 very good players + Leino, but also have established (what should easily be) improved goaltending. Still have young Giroux and VanRiemsdyk, and a lot of other solid forwards as well. I would guess would make the playoffs, but at a lower point total than last. (Expected Finish: 6-10)

- Tampa Bay: Can Roloson at his age carry the goaltending load? Also, lost Gagne and didn't really replace him. Should drop a bit, in my estimation. (Expected Finish: 7-10)

- Montreal: The loss of Wisniewski should hurt, but still have a decent team lead by Price. Cole was a good addition, but is probably being a bit overrated by MTL fans at this point. Markov returning + Subban progressing should be enough to keep Montreal as good as last year, maybe a bit better. (Expected Finish: 5-7)

- Buffalo: In my estimation, the most improved team in the East. Leino should be a suitable replacement for Connolly. As long as Miller plays like we expect, I would guess a playoff berth is in store. (Expected Finish: 4-7)

- NYR: Have improved. Lundqvist is a stellar goalie, and Richards should be a solid pick up. Made the playoffs with a pretty young group of guys last year and with Gaborik out for 20 games, I think making the playoffs should be expected. (Expected Finish: 4-7)

- Carolina: Lost Cole, Corvo and picked up Kaberle. I think the Canes have regressed a bit, and I would be surprised if Skinner can recreate his amazing rookie season. (Expected Finish: 8-10)

- Toronto: Picked up Connolly, which should help at the center position, as well as Liles and Franson while only losing Brent. No doubt that Toronto has improved on paper, but there is a lot of uncertainty with this team. Can Reimer continue playing strong? Can MacArthur, Grabovski and Kulemin re-create their good season together? Can Connolly stay healthy? If the stars align, a low seed is possible. Worst Case scenario, they could end up near the bottom. (Expected Finish: 7-14)

- New Jersey: Salvaged a horrible start of the season with a decent finish. Missed Parise all year. Should improve, in my estimation, but goaltending may become an issue. (Expected Finish: 7-12)

- Winnipeg: A pretty balanced team, but lacking depth at the same time. Season will depend on the progression of Burmistov, Bogosian. Don't expect Ladd to flirt with 30 goals again. I don't think this team has the power to make the playoffs, but should be semi-competitive. (Expected Finish: 9-14)

- Ottawa: Can't say Ottawa has progressed at all. I think they are making a run at last overall. Alfredsson is slipping, goaltending is spotty, and depth on both offence and defence is not up to par. (Expected Finish: 14-15)

-NY Islanders: Should surprise a couple people. Nabokov + Dipietro should provide solid goaltending. Tavares is a stud and I would expect him to get close to, or possibly break the 80 point barrier. Grabner scored 30+ in his first full season. Desperately need to solidify defence and then they could start competing for a final playoff spot, but until then should be on the lower cusp of the conference. (Expected Finish: 10-14)

-Florida: Lost Vokoun, who was one bright spot on the team last year with a respectable .922 save %. However, Florida turned around and signed Upshall, Theodore, Fleischmann, Jovanovski, Kopecky, Versteeg. That is a lot of NHL caliber players that they didn't have last year, but again, goaltending has regressed undoubtedly (Though Markstrom is a solid prospect in the pipes). I think they will take some time to get used to playing together and there will be some chemistry issues, but this team should be more competitive than people think after finishing in the basement last year. (Expected Finish: 9-13)


All of course my opinion, but it's pretty well thought out.... lots of time for that during the offseason

[conscript]

Emery to the Hawks, very surprised hes just now getting picked up, he'd be cheap and has shown starter qualities. Oh well, my hope of Detroit signing him have been dashed.

Ya I was really pulling for Emery to be the back up in Detroit. Conklin has shown about zero ability recently to lead a team as the starter in an emergency situation. Emery came in last year when Hiller's brain exploded, or whatever the hell caused his vertigo for weeks, and carried that team to the playoffs. Obviously there are some serious health concerns, but I was really hoping the Wings would get him. Then again in a market where Vokoun signs for $1.5 million, and then fires his agent a week later lol, it goes to show there might be a slight saturation of goaltenders on the market.

---------- Post added 2011-08-03 at 08:25 AM ----------

Florida: Lost Vokoun, who was one bright spot on the team last year with a respectable .922 save %. However, Florida turned around and signed Upshall, Theodore, Fleischmann, Jovanovski, Kopecky, Versteeg. That is a lot of NHL caliber players that they didn't have last year, but again, goaltending has regressed undoubtedly (Though Markstrom is a solid prospect in the pipes). I think they will take some time to get used to playing together and there will be some chemistry issues, but this team should be more competitive than people think after finishing in the basement last year. (Expected Finish: 9-13)

I just don't know about Florida. They will be better certainly, but that roster is just terrible. The entire forward group is comprised of one guy who would be a 1-3 on a good team and then about 8 guys who are 4-9s on basically every other NHL team. While they will certainly suffer on their top line, their next two lines will be fairly decent. Their top 9 forwards are decent, but only Weiss is a guy I would consider to be a top line talent. They could have one of the most solid 6-9 forward lines in the league. The thing that is absolutely going to kill them is their defense. The group they have is something out of the nightmares of good GMs. There is Campbell, who they are drastically overpaying obviously and was the third or potentially fourth best D-man on his old team, and Jovo who is old and being massively overpaid for his talent, which hasn't been good since he was a Canuck aka 5 years ago. After that top line, they have 4 guys who are at best a team's 7th bench D-man or an AHL player. Theodore and Celmmy in net are a decent combo, I was a big fan of Clemmy when he backed up Brodeur in Jersey, and they don't lack for goaltending prospects for sure, but Vokoun was an elite level goalie in the NHL on a bad, bad team the last few years.

[Dobb]

That was pretty wild, I can't wait to do it again.

[Xevan]

Logo looks like an F-18 to me.

F-18 http://www.adamhardtke.com/images/bl...silhouette.jpg
Logo http://winnipegjets.org/wp-content/u...go-Feature.png

[Zoma]

Ryan Kesler had successful hip labral surgery and is expected to make a full recovery in 10-12 weeks.

[Irony]

Shea Weber signs for 7.5 million over 1 year. Come 2013, if Preds haven't traded him, hes gone.

[Rennadrel]

Shea Weber signs for 7.5 million over 1 year. Come 2013, if Preds haven't traded him, hes gone.

He should have been gone regardless. The Preds are a dead end franchise and he could have been an impact player in an organization that could really use him, he would be killer in Detroit, though as a Leafs fan I think his style of play and skill would be an amazing fit for the organization. I expect if his contract is up and he chooses to move on next summer, the Leafs will have Komisarek off the books and would certainly go after him because he is a skilled player who would make a dynamic pair with Phaneuf on the power play, two hard hitting defenders and with Schenn among the top 4, a lot of teams would have trouble breaking through those walls of terror. Of course, one can only dream.

I for one am happy to see that the Islanders will be on the way out, I would not mind seeing them placed in Quebec City which is still a viable hockey market as far as I am concerned.

[Irony]

I'm really starting to hate this RFA bullshit, when a player finishes their contract, they should be able to move on and have other teams sign them.

[Greeney]

The best part is the logo incorporates an F-16.

Canada has none of these.

Logo looks like an F-18 to me.

F-18 http://www.adamhardtke.com/images/bl...silhouette.jpg
Logo http://winnipegjets.org/wp-content/u...go-Feature.png

Seems to me people are just complaining about it for the sake of having something new to complain about. I like the design, don't know how someone can say it's cheesy compared to the old Winnipeg Jets logo (a hockey stick as a J and an i).

http://radiofreethinker.com/2011/07/...they-american/
http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey...any-other-name

[Asera]

I like the Jets logo, honestly. I just think it's funny it's got a design that looks more like an F-16 than an F-18 on it.

There aren't many fighter planes out there with wingtip pylons.

[BicycleMafioso]

Meh. I think they look more akin to a logo found on toys rather than hockeyteams. I also feel that adding the maple leaf is a bit forced. Sure, first Canadian addition since like, the Senators, but eh. I'd rather see the classic logos back.
Don't get me wrong, I was a big fan of the jets back when. (Teemu Selänne <3)
But I just feel the whole logo is a bit forced and wanting to please the crowd more than wanting to do something new and good to begin with.


I thought the concept art looked better than the actual result. (although it does make them look like a dairy product. There's just no pleasing me, is there? :P)

[Asera]

Teemu Selänne has the best stressface in the league.

Any word if he's coming back this season?

[Irony]

If he does come back, he'll be in a Ducks uniform. He just got surgery done on his knee, and he stated that if he feels 100% by the start of the season, he'll play. I'm sure the Ducks still have some interest in him, but they don't want another Neidermayer incident. If he's not signed by October, he's done.

[messi4h]

Predators resigned Weber for 7.5m. What do you make of this? Quite a lot for a defender. And Kings: have fun with resigning Doughty.