2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Rennadrel]

Damnit that sucks. We were close to getting Vesey.

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Why haven't the Leafs named Matthews captain yet?

Should fucking be Marner, he has 4 goals already and like 10 assists. Seems he has adapted to the NHL faster, not that Matthews isn't getting lots of chances, he could easily have 8 or more goals by now.

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Charging accross the ice, to deliver a blindside hit, then leaving your feet when its too low, popping his helmet off is by far more than suspendable. Guaranteed, with two different teams, you would see a different result.

Maybe you should go tell the rules to the department of player safety because clearly they don't know their own rules and policies.

[Tradewind]

The Reilly hit on Hansen was totally legit, that's a damn good hit.

Kadri's hit on Sedin, even if he somehow escaped suspension on that, complete garbage hit.

Between that and his throat slashing shit last year when Giordano destroyed him, Kadri is slowly making himself into a shit tier asshole player lol.

[jackofwind]

Maybe you should go tell the rules to the department of player safety because clearly they don't know their own rules and policies.

The fact that a 1% shoulder 99% head blindside jumping shoulder check is legal because Kadri grazed the shoulder before contacting the head is a bullshit rule to begin with. The check itself was still headhunting and dangerous, and could easily have caused as bad an injury as any primary headshot.

I'd bet a lot of money that if it was Matthews or McDavid taking that hit there'd have been a suspension. At this point I'd be surprised if even the players have a good idea of how and to what degree suspensions are handed out. We've seen hits just like Kadri's result in suspensions for players who aren't even repeat offenders like he is, and yet we see him get away with one this time.

No one wants to see another Moore/Bertuzzi incident happen, but the League isn't doing much to dissuade players from taking matters into their own hands.

[Rennadrel]

The fact that a 1% shoulder 99% head blindside jumping shoulder check is legal because Kadri grazed the shoulder before contacting the head is a bullshit rule to begin with. The check itself was still headhunting and dangerous, and could easily have caused as bad an injury as any primary headshot.

I'd bet a lot of money that if it was Matthews or McDavid taking that hit there'd have been a suspension. At this point I'd be surprised if even the players have a good idea of how and to what degree suspensions are handed out. We've seen hits just like Kadri's result in suspensions for players who aren't even repeat offenders like he is, and yet we see him get away with one this time.

No one wants to see another Moore/Bertuzzi incident happen, but the League isn't doing much to dissuade players from taking matters into their own hands.

It's OK, you pretty well ignored the fact that dingle nuts speared Matthews on the same play and that was ignored too, and as Don Cherry said on the Grapeline yesterday, Kadri might as well have speared Sedin because that's a shorter penalty.

The fact of the matter is that with the lack of enforcers in the game, guys are making dangerous hits because no one can stop them, no one is going to beat their fucking lights out for taking a run at the better players in the game, and the league needs to change their own rules because the rules still suck. Because the rule says that the head was not the principle point of contact, it is really hard to suspend a guy for a head hit when the head was not targeted intentionally. Yeah, Kadri should at the least get fined for that hit, and given a warning. I mean, a first offense for a direct hit to the head should be at LEAST 10 games without pay, and all that pay is put towards a post career fund for the guy who's life you might have just messed up.

[Greeney]

Charging accross the ice, to deliver a blindside hit, then leaving your feet when its too low, popping his helmet off is by far more than suspendable. Guaranteed, with two different teams, you would see a different result.

The fact that a 1% shoulder 99% head blindside jumping shoulder check is legal because Kadri grazed the shoulder before contacting the head is a bullshit rule to begin with. The check itself was still headhunting and dangerous, and could easily have caused as bad an injury as any primary headshot.

I'd bet a lot of money that if it was Matthews or McDavid taking that hit there'd have been a suspension. At this point I'd be surprised if even the players have a good idea of how and to what degree suspensions are handed out. We've seen hits just like Kadri's result in suspensions for players who aren't even repeat offenders like he is, and yet we see him get away with one this time.

No one wants to see another Moore/Bertuzzi incident happen, but the League isn't doing much to dissuade players from taking matters into their own hands.

I would be absolutely pissed off it was the other way around and I wouldn't throw a hissy fit if NHL GMs decided to rewrite the rules tonight and retroactively suspend Kadri, but...

* Blindside hits are not strictly illegal at the moment (if the principle point of contact is not the head)
* GMs have recently brought up and voted against banning blindside hits (I'd personally love to know how Benning voted if anyone could find it)
* I don't believe there would be a suspension if it was Matthews taking the hit (yes, I'd be pissed too)
* Plenty of superstars have taken bad hits without anyone being suspended (e.g. Steckel or Hedman on Crosby concussion)
* I highly doubt this is a matter of DoPS saying "LOL it's Canucks players so no suspension."
* I'm sure I could find examples of Canucks players not being suspended when they deserved it if anyone is interested
* Kadri has been suspended for much less than head hits, he's not getting a free-pass just because his target was a Canuck
* If Sedin made this hit on Kadri I believe every single Canucks fan I've seen complaining would be defending it to the best of their ability
* Kadri being a repeat offender doesn't mean anything here; being a repeat offender doesn't have any impact on determining whether a hit is worthy of a suspension; it only impacts the length of a suspension/fine
* Canucks players seemed a lot more pissed off at Martin than Kadri at the end of the game
* Sedin should tighten his freaking chin strap
* Bertuzzi hitting Moore was Bertuzzi's fault and not the DoPS
* Players will always police themselves regardless of what the DoPS does and even if Moore had been suspended earlier Bertuzzi would have still hit him from behind to send a message the next time they played
* Even if Kadri was suspended he would be back by the next game they play the Canucks and if Canucks players feel the need for a second coming of Bertuzzi whoever it was would not be telling themselves "Hey, since Kadri was suspended I'll punch him in the back of the head less hard at this moment in time."

https://twitter.com/Real_ESPNLeBrun/...01214644817920
http://www.tsn.ca/problem-isn-t-with...ebook-1.602168

[jackofwind]

It's OK, you pretty well ignored the fact that dingle nuts speared Matthews on the same play and that was ignored too, and as Don Cherry said on the Grapeline yesterday, Kadri might as well have speared Sedin because that's a shorter penalty.

The fact of the matter is that with the lack of enforcers in the game, guys are making dangerous hits because no one can stop them, no one is going to beat their fucking lights out for taking a run at the better players in the game, and the league needs to change their own rules because the rules still suck. Because the rule says that the head was not the principle point of contact, it is really hard to suspend a guy for a head hit when the head was not targeted intentionally. Yeah, Kadri should at the least get fined for that hit, and given a warning. I mean, a first offense for a direct hit to the head should be at LEAST 10 games without pay, and all that pay is put towards a post career fund for the guy who's life you might have just messed up.

We weren't discussing anything other than the Kadri hit, but I'm happy to discuss Burrows' spear as well: it was a dirty play that has no place in hockey, and honestly spears should result in fines/suspensions too because there's no reason for them at all. Burrows is a liability of a player and has way too much of a tendency towards cheap and scummy plays like biting, hair pulling and spearing. He didn't even blatantly spear, he tried to sell it by falling down - he can't even seem to make a dirty play in a manly fashion. It seems like maybe you think I'm a blinders-on fan, but that's not the case so please don't insinuate as such.

We were talking about player safety and head shots though, and I was just saying that I think it's a dumb rule that says if the head isn't the primary point of contact it's a clean hit even if the hit is predominantly to the head after the initial contact. Kadri is a repeat offender in this case too, and I personally think the video review shows that he was headhunting. Others may disagree, but he left his feet on a blindside hit that he went way out of his way to make, and I think that with his history that's an unacceptable play.

I totally agree that a directly targeted headshot should be answered by a huge suspension and fine, because that's the sort of thing that ruins careers and then we all lose. I just also think that the whole initial contact rule doesn't do enough to punish players who deliberately brush the body before taking the head just so that it's not technically a headshot even though it has all the potential damage of one.

December 3rd could get really messy, and I think that could have been avoided if the League had handed out fines suspensions for both Kadri's blindside hit and Burrows' spear. Martin picking on Stecher I think will be answered in kind because it was so lopsided and a veteran enforcer dropping the gloves against a small rookie in his 4th game, but the League isn't going to fine an enforcer just based on who he decides to fight.

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* Canucks players seemed a lot more pissed off at Martin than Kadri at the end of the game

I think because Sedin came back without injury, and because both he and Kadri are guys that have been around for a bit. Martin throwing down on Stecher was completely uncalled for - Martin was fighting way outside of his weight class against a kid who doesn't fight, playing in his 4th NHL game ever. Only a completely scumbag would pick that fight, and Gudbranson has already said that Martin is "fucking dead" next time they play.

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* If Sedin made this hit on Kadri I believe every single Canucks fan I've seen complaining would be defending it to the best of their ability

Sedin trying to throw a hit like that would be a pretty hilarious thing to see, but at least one Canuck fan that you've spoken to now wouldn't be defending him for it.

I'm not saying there's a conspiracy against the Canucks or any such nonsense, I'm saying that I think the rules should be changed because those kinds of hits have massive potential to injure, just like targeted headshots, but they aren't suspendible hits because there's a body graze beforehand even though most of the power of the hit is directed to the head.

I feel that the League would protect a very select few players like McDavid and Matthews because they feel that those two are massive income draws for viewership (and they are, I mean they're phenomenal players).

[Rennadrel]

I am really surprised that Gudbranson wasn't fined for that threat. And joy, I will be in Vancouver that weekend as well, but I am not going to the game, I am going to the BattleTech convention that night.

[draynay]

Oh wow Gary Thorne is with the Kings? How did I miss that, awesome, haven't heard him call a hockey game in ages.

[Zeoni]

how about Laine, god damn what a monster

[Nazrark]

how about Laine, god damn what a monster

Hat-trick Laine is a monster. Radically changed our Power Play to Washington-esque. That and Mark Scheifele has someone who can score. That line is absolutely ridiculous.

[Greeney]

Hat-trick Laine is a monster. Radically changed our Power Play to Washington-esque. That and Mark Scheifele has someone who can score. That line is absolutely ridiculous.

I feel like Winnipeg is the only Canadian team not completely dependent on a two or three superstars. Laine will probably win the Calder barring injury at this rate. After resigning Trouba their top 4 defense is pretty strong; if they didn't have any injuries right now their top 9 would be scary too.

[Tradewind]

Mooootherfucker. I am getting tired of losing these one goal games where our boys aren't necessarily playing poorly. Fuuuuck..

[Armourboy]

Wait we won 2 games in a row? Its amazing!

[Nazrark]

If Scheifele continues at his pace. His contract will be an absolute steal.

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THE EARLY RACE FOR NO. 1

Of course it’s early, so there is plenty of time for this to change, but the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Caucks are the teams with the fewest standings points per game thus far, giving them the lead in draft lottery standings.

Calgary came into the season with much higher expectations, but they’ve dropped three straight and haven’t been getting the kind of production that they hoped for from their best players.

Vancouver is in a trickier situation. By all rights, they are a team that looks like they could finish in 30th overall, but haven’t necessarily resigned themselves to that fate just yet.

The next three teams, with fewest points per game, are the Arizona Coyotes, Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche.
Brandon Wheat Kings centre Nolan Patrick is considered the top prospect for the 2017 Draft.

http://www.tsn.ca/tsn-hockey-s-top-1...-week-1.606174

I laughed a lot harder than I should have at that line.

[Rennadrel]

Marner performing like a top 5 pick, three Leafs rookies all tied for 2nd in rookie scoring, Matthews with 6 goals, Marner with 5 and Nylander with 4, all have 12 points. One of them could win the Calder trophy, assuming Laine drops off.

[Armourboy]

Well 3 in a row, and returned the favor to the Ducks for the blowout earlier in the year. Neal is on fire, Forsberg gets his first goal, Pekka with a shutout. Starting to come together a bit.

[Armourboy]

Blow out the Ducks, get blown out by Toronto ( Maz is horrible), blow out Ottawa. Been interesting to say the least.

[Rennadrel]

Blow out the Ducks, get blown out by Toronto ( Maz is horrible), blow out Ottawa. Been interesting to say the least.

To be fair, Ottawa is a fucking joke of a team. They can't draft and they can't trade worth a shit. Half of their failure has been their drafting. I'd say, that aside from Alfie, Karlsson and Chara, they have never drafted extremely well. A team that doesn't suck enough to bottom out and get a few top 5 picks is never going to have much success, and Ottawa is a prime example of their unwillingness to just tank. Due to having a fairly fairweather fan base, staying competitive is the only way to get asses in the seats.

Also, Mitch Marner is gonna give Laine a run for the Calder I think, especially after this disgusting goal that can be seen here:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/l...oals-30-shots/

[Zeoni]

ahahahah fuckin kidding me with this shit. Hossa is allowed to stand ontop of our goalie and we can't challenge because we used our timeout. How do you call that a good goal when our goalie doesn't even have a chance to stop the puck because there is a god damn player standing BEHIND him fuck off!

[Armourboy]

ahahahah fuckin kidding me with this shit. Hossa is allowed to stand ontop of our goalie and we can't challenge because we used our timeout. How do you call that a good goal when our goalie doesn't even have a chance to stop the puck because there is a god damn player standing BEHIND him fuck off!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohSKBR4ovVQ

Just replace the team name....