2023-24 NHL Season Thread.

[Armourboy]

I cannot not get mad at the people who knowingly get it and decide that they need to go everywhere they can.

Those and the ones that believe its completely fabricated just make me want to stab people.

[Rennadrel]

Those and the ones that believe its completely fabricated just make me want to stab people.

It might not be fabricated, but it's been completely avoidable had the Chinese government been forthcoming about the virus from the beginning. If I were any head of a G7 nation, I'd be calling for sanctions against China because ultimately, they are the cause of this virus spreading.

[Armourboy]

It might not be fabricated, but it's been completely avoidable had the Chinese government been forthcoming about the virus from the beginning. If I were any head of a G7 nation, I'd be calling for sanctions against China because ultimately, they are the cause of this virus spreading.

While I agree with you somewhat it's always gonna be rough to keep something that spreads this easily contained. We even have cases in the US now where people with no or almost no symptoms are transmitting it to others.

That said, I put it on the global political leaders as a whole. They continue to support a country that uses slave or near slave labor and whose people live in appalling conditions which creates a breeding ground for these type of diseases.

[Rennadrel]

While I agree with you somewhat it's always gonna be rough to keep something that spreads this easily contained. We even have cases in the US now where people with no or almost no symptoms are transmitting it to others.

That said, I put it on the global political leaders as a whole. They continue to support a country that uses slave or near slave labor and whose people live in appalling conditions which creates a breeding ground for these type of diseases.

Yep, worker rights, hell, human rights, don't exist in China. And it makes me annoyed how many companies keep pandering to China at the cost of our own liberty and freedom of expression.

[Armourboy]

Well it's looking like to me this season is probably not going to get back going. Just dont think they are going to have the time to fit it in unless they just do something like an 8 team playoff or something.

Under a best case scenario I see th earliest they could start would be mid may.

[Deathknightish]

Why is the Rangers administration treating Henke Lundqvist like dirt, or like air and pretend he doesn't even exist any more?

Sweden's best goal keeper ever (Yes, even above Pelle Lindberg imo) and one of few reasons Rangers have been a contender for the cup up until like 2017.

I understand he's getting old, but the way administration is handling his final years is really disgusting. If anybody on the team deserves a pompous send-off, it's him. The administration should kiss his feet and ask "would you like Persian or Russian caviar for your final game-tribute?".

I'd understand if he was fighting with them or being a complete jerk, but Henke is a really good guy (knew him a bit when he played in Frölunda) who never sees himself above the team. Even now, with the way he's being treated, he doesn't hold a grudge even though he very well has the right to considering how the organisation disrespects him.

As an example; on twitter/facebook they wish almost every player a happy birthday. But not Henke when he had his 38th.

[eschatological]

Goalies in the NHL are like RBs in the NFL. It's nice to have a good one, but you should never rely on them, and you should never, ever pay them superstar contracts when you can get similar-to-slightly-less production from a much cheaper option.

Lundvquist is example #1b of this mistake, behind #1 Carey Price.

[eschatological]

NHL announces a Return to Play plan that includes 24 of 31 teams making the playoffs. Sabres still miss, 10 years in a row. 8 of the teams in each conference are playing a best-of-5 "play in" round.

The lottery is......hilariously convoluted. They still wanted 15 teams in the lottery pool, so THE EIGHT LOSERS OF THE PLAY-IN ROUND are lottery eligible. In order to do so, they will have the 7 already eliminated, plus the 8 losers labeled Team A thru Team H, BECAUSE THEY'RE HOLDING THE LOTTERY BEFORE THE LOSERS OF THE PLAY-IN ROUND ARE EVEN DETERMINED. If any Team A thru H wins a top 3 pick, THEY DO A SECOND LOTTERY to determine which losers are which letters, after the play-in round. What a fucking shit show.

Thus, there's a scenario where:

Team D wins pick #1
Team H wins pick #2
Team B wins pick #3, and Detroit, Ottawa, and Ottawa are pushed to 4, 5, and 6.

Then, the teams in the play-in round know that IF THEY LOSE THEIR ROUND, they have a 3 in 8 chance (37%+) to get a top 3 pick, AFTER BEING IN THE PLAYOFFS.

Leave it to Gary Bettman to fuck this all up. He's hoping and gambling that the above scenario doesn't play out, but even if, say, only one of the 8 teams moves into the top 3, you'll have the reality that a playoff team got a top 3 pick.

[Armourboy]

NHL announces a Return to Play plan that includes 24 of 31 teams making the playoffs. Sabres still miss, 10 years in a row. 8 of the teams in each conference are playing a best-of-5 "play in" round.

The lottery is......hilariously convoluted. They still wanted 15 teams in the lottery pool, so THE EIGHT LOSERS OF THE PLAY-IN ROUND are lottery eligible. In order to do so, they will have the 7 already eliminated, plus the 8 losers labeled Team A thru Team H, BECAUSE THEY'RE HOLDING THE LOTTERY BEFORE THE LOSERS OF THE PLAY-IN ROUND ARE EVEN DETERMINED. If any Team A thru H wins a top 3 pick, THEY DO A SECOND LOTTERY to determine which losers are which letters, after the play-in round. What a fucking shit show.

Thus, there's a scenario where:

Team D wins pick #1
Team H wins pick #2
Team B wins pick #3, and Detroit, Ottawa, and Ottawa are pushed to 4, 5, and 6.

Then, the teams in the play-in round know that IF THEY LOSE THEIR ROUND, they have a 3 in 8 chance (37%+) to get a top 3 pick, AFTER BEING IN THE PLAYOFFS.

Leave it to Gary Bettman to fuck this all up. He's hoping and gambling that the above scenario doesn't play out, but even if, say, only one of the 8 teams moves into the top 3, you'll have the reality that a playoff team got a top 3 pick.

It's a shit show but losers of the play in round all only have a 12.5% chance of getting a lottery pick, and that's only if none of those left out don't claim it. I mean in theory none of the worst teams in the league get a top 3 pick, but not very probable.

That's kind of the point of the draft lottery though, to make purposely tanking no guarantee.

It's a mess though because the NHL wanted big markets in that first round, so they set it up to get them in, even though they had no real shot of ever making the playoffs otherwise.

[Jotaux]

I think teams are better off being in the play in round. They'll have at least 3 games to warm up.

[Logwyn]

I can’t wait to see this tournament actually start. Word is we still have a couple months, but hockey in August is going to be kinda crazy.

Playoff hockey is the best hockey. We are about to get to see a ton of playoff hockey!

[Nazrark]

Imagine the Pens lose in the first round only to win the Lottery.

[Logwyn]

Imagine the Pens lose in the first round only to win the Lottery.

Can that happen?

[eschatological]

Can that happen?

Yes, see my post like 5 posts up.

[Armourboy]

July 10th camps start.

[RCA]

1. I don't gamble.
2. Why would I bet in favor of Kakko?

Kakko has the same issues as Puljujärvi (although Kakko has some actual talent). He isn't smart and doesn't know English. Unless his English drastically improves quickly I don't see him making it big in the NHL.

Past the 42 game mark and you would of won...

That aside I'm missing my sports even if they collapsed (always a good relaxing time watching my team, regardless). Recent proposal had them just out by a game per the point standards of the nhl. Strange year for sure.

[eschatological]

RIP to @Rennadrel, seems like Auston Mathews has tested positive for COVID. Aren't the playoffs supposed to start in a few weeks?

As a Sabres fan, I wouldn't know.

[Rennadrel]

RIP to @Rennadrel, seems like Auston Mathews has tested positive for COVID. Aren't the playoffs supposed to start in a few weeks?

As a Sabres fan, I wouldn't know.

Nothing has even been set in stone, and he's fine. Also, Steve Simmons is a cock who should be loaded into a rocket with a one way trip to the sun as it's only destination. Considering you Yanks can't get your shit together and curb the virus spread, I have a feeling hockey won't be played in America.

[eschatological]

Nothing has even been set in stone, and he's fine. Also, Steve Simmons is a cock who should be loaded into a rocket with a one way trip to the sun as it's only destination. Considering you Yanks can't get your shit together and curb the virus spread, I have a feeling hockey won't be played in America.

I have a feeling not much of anything is gonna be played in America this year.

[eschatological]

Draft lottery tonight. If the Sabres somehow manage to jump from 7 to top 2 for either Lafreniere or Byfield, I'll be pretty shocked but then immediately disappointed becauses the Sabres are:

Somehow
Always
Bad
Regarding
Everything
Simple


In other news, one of our 6 starting D who was inexplicably sent down to the AHL (because we had "veterans" who deserved the spot more over the better 24 year old?) signed with the KHL because he wanted a 1-way contract from the Sabres and they didn't want to give him one. There were indications he could have been top 4 on our defense.

- - - Updated - - -

The lottery is......hilariously convoluted. They still wanted 15 teams in the lottery pool, so THE EIGHT LOSERS OF THE PLAY-IN ROUND are lottery eligible. In order to do so, they will have the 7 already eliminated, plus the 8 losers labeled Team A thru Team H, BECAUSE THEY'RE HOLDING THE LOTTERY BEFORE THE LOSERS OF THE PLAY-IN ROUND ARE EVEN DETERMINED. If any Team A thru H wins a top 3 pick, THEY DO A SECOND LOTTERY to determine which losers are which letters, after the play-in round. What a fucking shit show.
....

Leave it to Gary Bettman to fuck this all up. He's hoping and gambling that the above scenario doesn't play out, but even if, say, only one of the 8 teams moves into the top 3, you'll have the reality that a playoff team got a top 3 pick.

The nightmare scenario plays out. The #1 overall pick WILL GO TO A TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS. There's now an incentive to lose the play-in round for a 12.5% at Alex Lafreniere. Higher than the 30th ranked team in the league had for the lottery.