2014 NHL Offseason

[TheGrimReaper]

To his credit, Chevelwayoff has drafted very well. Scheifele will be top 6, Trouba already plays like he's 30 and hates everybody, Morrissey should make the club this year, and Ehlers will likely get the 9 game look-see before heading back to Halifax.

But.

The Pavelec situation has gone on too long, and I can only assume the Jets want to see how Hutchinson performs before moving in any direction. I know they want to see how EKane9AnyoneButWinnipeg does with an actual line before giving up on him and shipping him off to Buffalo.

Any thing else though, hooboy. I've been a Chevy apologist in the past but good lord, man, pick up a damn phone. The main obstacle to a Kane deal getting done seems to be that no other teams can get a handle on what the Jets need in return. At the least, they should be looking for a Kesler deal- a top 6, a prospect, and a draft pick. Use that as a start and see what can happen.

It almost seems as though he's afraid of getting broasted by the local media, as if Gary Lawless will eat him whole for making a lousy trade. Gotta start somewhere.

Neither Bonino nor Sbisa are/were prospects.

[Still MIGHTY]

[IceCap]

Downtown Detroit being that lively? Yeah, ok.

[The_Admiral]

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Detroit,+MI&hl=en&ll=42.340633,-83.055887&spn=0.011372,0.026157&sll=42.086091,-87.983522&sspn=0.182687,0.41851&hnear=Detroit,+Wayne+County,+Michigan&t=m&z=16&layer=c&cbll=42.340633,-83.055887&panoid=e-MnWKklGmDFHfgtKWtDPA&cbp=12,314.67,,0,5.02

There's a look at where the arena will be, roughly speaking.

I think this whole thing is a little too ambitious for Detroit, personally, not just economically but climatically. Yeah, the little plaza seems nice and stuff until you remember IT'S FEBRUARY

[charger77]

Vanek connected to Federal gambling investigation.

[chrysleraspen08]

Leafs hire Kyle Dubas as assistant GM.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=457687

This is a great move for the Leafs. He has done a really good job with the Soo over the last few years and has turned them into a contending team.

[Sanic]

Downtown Detroit being that lively? Yeah, ok.

[insert murder rate joke here]

[spartacat_12]

do organizational rankings really matter as much in hockey as in baseball (which as far as I know is the only other big sport that has an "organization")?

Don't the best players just go right in to the NHL either from their junior teams or from overseas? How many players develop in the AHL for seasons and then get called up and become star players? I have absolutely no idea, but I'd guess not nearly as much as develop in AA and AAA in baseball and then get brought up.

The implementation of the salary cap has lead to young players being put into NHL lineups much earlier than they used to. For budget teams and teams against the cap it can be really helpful if a prospect making a minimal salary can contribute to the big club. With that being said, there are often late bloomers who become more seasoned in the A and become elite NHLers, especially defensemen, who usually take more time to mature. I think that one of the biggest reason that the 2003 Draft class is as good as it is, (and why so many other young superstars emerged in the '06 season), is because of the '04-'05 lockout. Players were forced to spend more time in the minors and continue to develop, rather than be rushed into their respective NHL lineups. The Philadelphia Phantoms won the Calder Cup that season with a lineup that included Mike Richards, Jeff Carter (both drafted in '03), and Patrick Sharp. This experience definitely helped their development into Stanley Cup winners. Unfortunately for Flyers fans they all won after moving to different organizations.

[Still MIGHTY]

NBC/NBCSN has released their broadcast schedule. Here are some tidbits compiled from the Puck Daddy and Awful Announcing stories:

• NBC will air an indoor primetime NHL game for the first time since the 1960s: Rangers/Flyers, 2/28, 8 p.m. ET.
• A Hockey Day in America triple header on Feb. 22: Capitals/Flyers, Bruins/Blackhawks on NBC, Stars/Wild on NBCSN.
• NBCSN makes a foray into the Canadian tradition of a Saturday night doubleheader on Dec. 27, with Penguins/Capitals and Kings/Sharks.
• NBCSN is also televising Kings/Sharks on Saturday, February 21st at 10 p.m. ET. Hockey Night in Canada also has that game scheduled, because the league continues to peg it for an outdoor game.
• Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Los Angeles and San Jose lead the league with 12 exclusive telecasts across NBC and NBCSN (many teams go over the limit of 12, but those games will be blacked out on NBCSN in that market). Seven other teams follow up with 11 games.
• The Buffalo Sabres got 10 games on the schedule because Buffalo watches the games no matter what.
• Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Florida, and the Islanders have 0 NBCSN appearances.
• This year’s regular-season coverage features 31 games spanning 14 of the 15 series from the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, including back-to-back rematches of the 2014 Western and Eastern Conference Finals on NBCSN (Blackhawks-Kings on Jan. 28, Canadiens-Rangers on Jan. 29), and a rematch of the 2014 Stanley Cup Final between the Rangers and Kings on March 24. Bruins-Red Wings, Blackhawks-Blues,
• Penguins-Flyers and Kings-Sharks are the most featured matchups, each appearing four times on NBC and NBCSN.
• 56 of NBC and NBCSN’s 103 telecasts feature at least one Western Conference team.

Team totals of NBC/NBCSN broadcasts:

• 20 - Blackhawks
• 19 - Penguins
• 17 - Bruins
• 16 - Flyers
• 15 - Red Wings
• 14 - Rangers
• 13 - Capitals, Kings, Sharks
• 11 - Sabres, Blues, Wild
• 7 - Ducks, Avalanche
• 5 - Lightning
• 4 - Stars
• 3 - Hurricanes
• 2 - Devils, Maple Leafs, Canadiens
• 1 - Coyotes, Predators, Blue Jackets
• 0 - Islanders, Panthers, Senators, Canucks, Flames, Oilers, Jets

---

TL;DR - The "NBC Seven" has now extended its ranks to West Coast, bringing the Kings and Sharks into the fold (grrrrrrr... Stupid Kings. Stupid Comcast.). Buffalo continues to get far too many national games, because Buffalo continues to watch. Western Canada + Ottawa continues to be shut out, Florida is deservedly shut out, and the Islanders are strangely left out in the cold.

[The_Admiral]

Buuuuut if Buffalo continues to watch games, then they don't get too many.

The NHL's Best Fans must be ecstatic that NBC is finally acknowledging their team, just in time for the team to have added John Scott, Tye McGinn, and Mike Brown in what Doug Wilson calls his "Chokers and Jokers" plan.

[Still MIGHTY]

Buuuuut if Buffalo continues to watch games, then they don't get too many.

I only meant too many in terms of on-ice performance. Of course, it's great they watch the games.

The saving grace, I guess, is that none of their 11 games are on a Wednesday, so we won't be subjected to RIVALRY NIGHT featuring Sabres/Red Wings or whatever.

But we do get such great Wednesday Rivalries as Detroit/Washington... Boston/Minnesota... Chicago/Pittsburgh... Washington/San Jose... And a few others that are kind of a stretch in modern times, but they could fake it.

[Cosmic]

Buuuuut if Buffalo continues to watch games, then they don't get too many.

I only meant too many in terms of on-ice performance. Of course, it's great they watch the games.

The saving grace, I guess, is that none of their 11 games are on a Wednesday, so we won't be subjected to RIVALRY NIGHT featuring Sabres/Red Wings or whatever.

But we do get such great Wednesday Rivalries as Detroit/Washington... Boston/Minnesota... Chicago/Pittsburgh... Washington/San Jose... And a few others that are kind of a stretch in modern times, but they could fake it.

Sabres-Leafs would be good for RIVALRY NIGHT. Other than that.... ???? We've had temporary things with Philly, Boston, Ottawa and probably others before my time, but the Leafs are really the only team to always get a strong reaction.

[HedleyLamarr]

I, for one, am excited about the Capitals/Sharks rivalry.

[ninersdd]

I, for one, am excited about the Capitals/Sharks rivalry.

Former Ron Wilson coached teams.

[The_Admiral]

Playing for the Hanta Yo Cup.

[dbadefense1990]

I just want a Panthers-Coyotes rivalry night. They could even have a Winter Classic in LoriaWorld

Noted dignitaries in attendance will include Bettman, David Stern, Jeffrey Loria, Vince McMahon, Sepp Blatter, Mark Emmert, Thomas Bach and every associate with the Coyotes and Panthers organizations.

[DarkJourney]

The NHL's Best Fans must be ecstatic that NBC is finally acknowledging their team, just in time for the team to have added John Scott, Tye McGinn, and Mike Brown in what Doug Wilson calls his "Chokers and Jokers" plan.

[charger77]

O'Riley signs a 2 year extension with Colorado.

[charger77]

Former NHLer Patrick Cote get 2 and a half years for bank robbery.

[Alex Houston]

Great news on so much exposure for the Sharks. Now I can watch that new fourth line full of grit and gumption give so many odd-man rushes. Marvel at the powers of John Scott and Mike Brown...

Ugh. Now taking applications for a new team. Previous winning is preferred. Alex Houston is an EEOC fan and encourages minority teams. Except you Phoenix, cause...well...y'know...