Michael Pachla: Let the off season begin, plus Stanley Cup notes

First

The U.S. economy is much improved since '08 and the mini crash in '14, so it has to be the Canadian teams pushing for a stagnant cap, which is a shame. Plenty of decent players won't find jobs or will have to take pay cuts. Adding Vegas helps create 32 job openings, of course. Overall though, very confused at the stagnation

Wow, another Kane blog? Again with this?

The U.S. economy is much improved since '08 and the mini crash in '14, so it has to be the Canadian teams pushing for a stagnant cap, which is a shame. Plenty of decent players won't find jobs or will have to take pay cuts. Adding Vegas helps create 32 job openings, of course. Overall though, very confused at the stagnation
- jcragcrumple

if i were to guess it has to do with the gap in the dollar (cad to usd)

Alright moves / deals, lets go! Protected list is submitted by Saturday and I think there is a trade freeze after until they announce. So lets get it going!

Wow, another Kane blog? Again with this?
- sbroads24

*thinks of a way to slide Kane into the mix*

if i were to guess it has to do with the gap in the dollar (cad to usd)
- Sabresfan-365

If i had to guess though, a lot of the canadian owners who are actual individuals (not companies like Bell) have a large portion of their holdings in USD. It seems like a convenient excuse. Of course teams like FLA and CAR probably don't mind a low cap either. Plus, you can exclude MTL and TML from any currency talk, because those two teams could turn a profit using Zimbabwe's currency

And to think, the Penguins tanked for a top-four all-time great in Lemieux and another just outside in Crosby. It brought the city five Stanley Cups, but no one seems to care.

Just sayin'

Just to correct you there. Yes, they did tank in order to get Lemieux. That is well documented, and it was a brilliant. I'm sure if teams could turn back time, they would do the exact same thing. BUT, in terms of Crosby, Pittsburgh did not tank in order to get Sid. They were just bad. Terrible would be the more apt descriptor. I remember those years. We lost Jagr, Straka, and Kovalev because the team could no longer afford them, and got players like Rico Fata, Milan Kraft, and Kostantin Koltsov. A cast of characters that no respectable team would want, unless you were dead broke. Which Pittsburgh was at that time. They were hard years, and it was hard to be a paying fan. The Great Richard Tarnstrom and Ryan Malone were the only things to be excited about (which was sad in retrospect). But I honestly do not believe they tanked on purpose to get Crosby. They just sucked enough to get the right #1 pick at the right time.

If i had to guess though, a lot of the canadian owners who are actual individuals (not companies like Bell) have a large portion of their holdings in USD. It seems like a convenient excuse. Of course teams like FLA and CAR probably don't mind a low cap either. Plus, you can exclude MTL and TML from any currency talk, because those two teams could turn a profit using Zimbabwe's currency
- jcragcrumple

i loled hard at this, just recently watched something on their next level hyper inflation.

You're probably right but im just thinking on a pure hockey level it helps with the difference in currency and lends a hand to the southern teams.

Todd Cordell

One skater I'd avoid is Jonas Brodin. Not because he is a bad player, but because he'll probably cost more than he's worth on the trade market and I think there are better options available.

Over the last two years, Brodin has just one more 5v5 point than the likes of Luke Schenn, Dan Girardi, Kris Russell and Johnny Oduya so he doesn't bring much to the table offensively.

His underlying numbers over the last two seasons are underwhelming, too, as the Wild control a larger percentage of the shot attempts and goals when he's not on the ice.

Funny I had a gut feeling about last night's game. It just reminded me so much of Dal-Buffalo in '99. Two teams scrapping it out. One obviously more talented in scoring(Dallas/Pitt). Game six at home for Nashville(same as Buffalo). I just felt for all that momentum they built they would walk away disappointed. I even knew it would be in some lame fashion and there it was. A super lame goal, scored by a non superstar with one minute left. Sprinkle in some controversy and they've got the full Buffalo experience.

Just to correct you there. Yes, they did tank in order to get Lemieux. That is well documented, and it was a brilliant. I'm sure if teams could turn back time, they would do the exact same thing. BUT, in terms of Crosby, Pittsburgh did not tank in order to get Sid. They were just bad. Terrible would be the more apt descriptor. I remember those years. We lost Jagr, Straka, and Kovalev because the team could no longer afford them, and got players like Rico Fata, Milan Kraft, and Kostantin Koltsov. A cast of characters that no respectable team would want, unless you were dead broke. Which Pittsburgh was at that time. They were hard years, and it was hard to be a paying fan. The Great Richard Tarnstrom and Ryan Malone were the only things to be excited about. But I honestly do not believe they tanked on purpose to get Crosby. They just sucked enough to get the right #1 pick at the right time.
- simethos

Potato Potahto. They bottomed out and got 3 top picks. The word "tank" wasn't in the hockey lexicon at that time, but the intent was the same.

Potato Potahto. They bottomed out and got 3 top picks. The word "tank" wasn't in the hockey lexicon at that time, but the intent was the same.
- jcragcrumple

Didn't the Sabres have the same odds as getting the Crosby pick as Pittsburgh?

Just to correct you there. Yes, they did tank in order to get Lemieux. That is well documented, and it was a brilliant. I'm sure if teams could turn back time, they would do the exact same thing. BUT, in terms of Crosby, Pittsburgh did not tank in order to get Sid. They were just bad. Terrible would be the more apt descriptor. I remember those years. We lost Jagr, Straka, and Kovalev because the team could no longer afford them, and got players like Rico Fata, Milan Kraft, and Kostantin Koltsov. A cast of characters that no respectable team would want, unless you were dead broke. Which Pittsburgh was at that time. They were hard years, and it was hard to be a paying fan. The Great Richard Tarnstrom and Ryan Malone were the only things to be excited about (which was sad in retrospect). But I honestly do not believe they tanked on purpose to get Crosby. They just sucked enough to get the right #1 pick at the right time.
- simethos

good points...but i'm still of the opinion that they tanked...don't forget, everyone knew sid would be the next 'great one' years before he was drafted...it was the only way they could save the franchise in Pittsburgh...and I didn't even bring up the behind closed doors draft lottery

[quote=Sabresfan-365]
the pens were outshot in 17 of the 25 playoff games they played...an nhl record

[quote=Sabresfan-365]
I'd still look to see the cost.

Potato Potahto. They bottomed out and got 3 top picks. The word "tank" wasn't in the hockey lexicon at that time, but the intent was the same.
- jcragcrumple

I think his point was the intent was not the same, and he's right.

Pitt just had awful management/organization when they landed Sid.

[quote=sbroads24]
read somewhere that the wild would rather lose a player to las vegas than get a poor return in a trade

I think his point was the intent was not the same, and he's right.

Pitt just had awful management/organization when they landed Sid.
- sbroads24

disagree...Pittsburgh was on the precipice of moving...Lemieux and the drafting of sid saved the franchise

Didn't the Sabres have the same odds as getting the Crosby pick as Pittsburgh?
- Buffalo--Sabres

At a time when the Penguins were in real jeopardy due to their old arena. Just like the favorable Kovalchuk retirement when the devils were in dire financial straits. I don't trust the league

disagree...Pittsburgh was on the precipice of moving...Lemieux and the drafting of sid saved the franchise
- Michael Pachla

Right. My point is it wasn't some savvy strategy, they were just plain awful.

I wouldn't say Colorado was intentionally tanking this year

[quote=Michael Pachla]


they were lucky to win this...like very lucky

[quote=sbroads24]

i imagine something to the tune of 8th overall

At a time when the Penguins were in real jeopardy due to their old arena. Just like the favorable Kovalchuk retirement when the devils were in dire financial straits. I don't trust the league
- jcragcrumple

I agree. They are run by clowns. We'd be here all day if we had to list all the reasons.