2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Elgefar]

Look, I don't agree with what Clarkson did. In fact, I think it was fucking retarded that he left the bench. Clarkson got paid what he was worth, other teams were offering him more which shows you just how shit the free agent market is as well as how screwed up player value numbers are right now. I wouldn't pay Letang 7 million dollars to be the defensive liability he is, he only compensates that amount of suck by racking up lots of points, but that doesn't change the fact that he is a shitty blue liner. People say Phaneuf is overpaid, Letang is miles worse defensively and the only thing he has going for him is his offensive game, which ironically enough, is not what defensemen are for.

He was not paid what he's worth. He's two years removed from having a 18 point season with 82 games played. Who is worth 5.25 million for that? Seriously in what fucking world is a 3rd line winger worth 5.25million a year? And btw Rennadrel just because other teams were willing to pay Clarkson more, does not mean that he is worth that. It is just GMs being retarded. I could maybe justify the contract if it was for 3 years, but it is for 7 years that ends when Clarkson is 36. He is in prime right now and has not cracked 50 point yet. He is being paid 5.25 million essentially to hit people, and fight occasionally. You don't see that as overvalued?

[Rennadrel]

Points aren't everything, and to be honest, I don't think Clarkson has ever played with the same kinds of players in New Jersey as he will in Toronto. He was a checking winger alongside Shanahan before he retired, while Clarkson is going to get the opportunity to elevate his offensive game by playing on the second line while protecting a young star like Kadri with his physicality. I think if Clarkson can manage 40-50 point seasons and still do what he does best, he will have earned his contract. Right now it's just a matter of opinion as to how much he is overpaid. One thing I like about him being on our second line is that he will be able to open up space for Kadri and Lupul, who neither are very big or very tough. Why do you think JVR plays on the first line? His size, speed and his ability to screen goalies and get into the dirty areas makes him a strong part of that line.

[Raleik]

Oilers named Ference their new captain! Really smart move imo, Ference was always a great leader and huge part of the community in Boston. It'll be good for that team to have him in a leadership role for a couple years until Hall/Eberle mature some more and are ready for it. I always liked Ference, and I've said right along it was a great signing for a young team like the Oilers.

[Greeney]

Flames grab Joe Colborne from the Leafs for a 4th in 2014. Thanks Burke, I think. Played vs him way back in community hockey for a couple years.

Huge disappointment in preseason but I think nonis could have got a better deal out of it. Hope he plays better for you guys.

[Zeoni]

Huge disappointment in preseason but I think nonis could have got a better deal out of it. Hope he plays better for you guys.

That's all I'm hearing. Word is he looked uninterested. 6'5" 220lbs though, a lot to work with if we can get him to play like he should. But then again that's not working out with current guys like Michael Ferland and Lance Bouma.

[Rennadrel]

Liles is reportedly on waivers. Some speculate the Panthers might want to pick him up to solidify their defensive core, and they could really use some experience on the back end while still remaining far under the cap. Still, they need to start winning in order to sell that franchise to the locals otherwise it's going to be moved.

[VanillaO]

The Panthers were sold 2 days ago.. seriously, I'm not making that up.

As for Clarkson not having to put up points, that's crap. He has had the opportunity to play with Parise, Zajac, Kovalchuk, Elias, Henrique. He may not have got a lot of time with those guys, because (weirdly enough), they put up first and second line points, and Clarkson has typically put up 3rd/4th line points. He did, however, get to play with them, on their lines at times, and saw power play time when he scored 30. That being said, his presence on the second line WILL open up room for Kadri and Lupul - but do you really have to pay a guy 5.25 a year for that kind of service? Honestly, if he manages to crack the 50 point mark (again, for the first time in his career), is that because he played well? Doubtful - like you said, he'll be playing with Kadri and Lupul, two players capable of putting up 60-70 point seasons no matter who is on the other wing. Why not pay someone else or trade for someone else who has comparable size but makes less money? If all they're there to do is open up room and bring some physicality to the second line, there are certainly cheaper options in the league.

[Zeoni]

So Leaf fans, who is emerging out of camp as your #1 goalie? I was low on cap room and ended up taking Reimer as one of my goalies in my work pool.

[Rennadrel]

I don't know. Reimer has looked strong out of the gate while Bernier hasn't exactly had God mode performances that have wowed me, though he has looked solid for the most part. Still a massive upgrade over Scrivens in my mind and guarantees we have a good backup plan should shit go south.

[Greeney]

So Leaf fans, who is emerging out of camp as your #1 goalie? I was low on cap room and ended up taking Reimer as one of my goalies in my work pool.

Reimer looking a lot more comfortable in net. Carlyle will play whoever earns it. However they didn't trade frattin and a second rounder for someone who was expected to play as backup all year. Both seem hungry for it.

[VanillaO]

There will be no 'starter' in Toronto until one of them throws out 4-5 wins in a row in their starts IMO. Cases could be made for either goalie to start on Tuesday - my personal gut feeling is Reimer gets the nod, but it's just a feeling.

[Rennadrel]

He probably will start. Putting Bernier in net might remind Habs fans that they have a crappy goaltending tandem. :P

[Reg]

Had my draft last night in a 12 player league. My team looks pretty damn fancy.

[Rennadrel]

The pool I am at work for hockey is a points league but my team is pretty damn solid.

Goal: Jonathan Quick, Craig Anderson and Corey Crawford
Defense: Justin Schultz, Duncan Keith and Erik Karlsson
Centre: Mike Richards, David Krejci, Jeff Carter, Brad Richards, Matt Duchene, Logan Couture and Nazem Kadri
Left Wing: Matt Moulson
Right Wing: Dustin Brown, Bobby Ryan, Phil Kessel, Martin St Louis and Patrick Kane.

[Reg]

I am in a 12 man H2H league, $100 buy in.

Goalie: Jimmy Howard, James Reimer
Center: Henrik Zetterberg, Patrick Sharp, Derick Brassard
Left Wing: Max Pacioretty, Pascal Dupuis, Brandon Dubinsky
Right Wing: Alex Ovechkin, Jason Pominville, Daniel Alfredsson
Defense: Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Dan Boyle, Cody Franson, Marc Staal

[VanillaO]

The pool I am at work for hockey is a points league but my team is pretty damn solid.

Goal: Jonathan Quick, Craig Anderson and Corey Crawford
Defense: Justin Schultz, Duncan Keith and Erik Karlsson
Centre: Mike Richards, David Krejci, Jeff Carter, Brad Richards, Matt Duchene, Logan Couture and Nazem Kadri
Left Wing: Matt Moulson
Right Wing: Dustin Brown, Bobby Ryan, Phil Kessel, Martin St Louis and Patrick Kane.

How the fuck do you end up with a team like this? 3 of the best goalies in the league (and Crawford is gonna clean up in the weakest division), 2 of the best D in the league, one of the best centers, as well as a bunch of great 2nd liners, a solid LW who'll get 60 points, and 4 RW who will get 60-80 each....

Is this like a 4 man league or are people in your pool oblivious?

I am in a 12 man H2H league, $100 buy in.

Goalie: Jimmy Howard, James Reimer
Center: Henrik Zetterberg, Patrick Sharp, Derick Brassard
Left Wing: Max Pacioretty, Pascal Dupuis, Brandon Dubinsky
Right Wing: Alex Ovechkin, Jason Pominville, Daniel Alfredsson
Defense: Zdeno Chara, Duncan Keith, Dan Boyle, Cody Franson, Marc Staal

Gutsy call going with Brassard (I assume in a very late round?). He's got big point potential, and seemed to gel very quickly - hope he can keep that magic touch going he found after the trade. Your goalies are the weak spot in my eyes, but hopefully your O/D can carry the load. Boyle may be a concern for me, personally, because of his age, but he should be decent enough.

EDIT:

My Roommate and I are co-managing a team through his work (18 man H2H), and I've managed to convince three of his coworkers so far that Drouin should go high because he's on a line with Stamkos. Obviously they don't follow shit (and I don't know if Drouin will even be eligible to be drafted tonight), but he was cut from the Lightning and send back to Halifax.

[Reg]

Brassard was a final round pick lol

[Drikkink]

Ah, nothing like the Flyers going 0-5-1 in the preseason with serious cup hopes this year.

[Rennadrel]

The league we are doing at work is a $20 buy in and is a Pick-up Hockey pool. It's a pick em league where the winner is determined by whoever has the most points based on their goalie and skater selections. A shutout is 2 points for a goalie, a regular win is 1 point. Points for skaters are based on their production which is why most of the offensive minded skaters are among the selections I made. In fact, I don't think there were any players in the pool who aren't great offensively, Cody Franson was the only player I believe who I wouldn't call offensively gifted, Jake Gardiner should have been in his place in my opinion.

[Raleik]

Drafted my team the other day as well! 10 man league, just uses Forward designation, so you don't have to worry about centers vs. wingers.

Goal: Jimmy Howard, Antti Niemi, Jaroslav Halak, Semyon Varlamov.
Defense: Shea Weber, Kevin Shattenkirk, Lubomir Visnovsky, Jay Bouwmeester, Dan Hamhuis.
Forward: Jonathan Toews, Eric Staal, Evander Kane, Jarome Iginla, Matt Duchene, Brad Richards, Milan Lucic, David Perron, Michael Ryder, Vladimir Tarasenko, Damien Brunner, Ryan O'Reilly, Brendan Morrow.