Eklund: Part 4:Is Your Team Better Off Than They Were 4 years Ago? The Central B@1

This was a great series of blogs. I like the rhetorical questions on Minnesota and Nashville. So since you didn't answer I assume you are inviting readers to chime in. I'll go first.

Minnesota - not better
Nashville - not better, but I might change that if they add Hoffman today.

"Re-signed MacKinnon to a crazy reasonable 7/$44M"

This continues to be a myth. This was following seasons of 63, 38 and 52 points. He had 53 points the following season. If anything it was a bit of an overpay. He didn't become the super elite player he is until after that contract was signed.

"Re-signed MacKinnon to a crazy reasonable 7/$44M"

This continues to be a myth. This was following seasons of 63, 38 and 52 points. He had 53 points the following season. If anything it was a bit of an overpay. He didn't become the super elite player he is until after that contract was signed.
- FoppaForever

That's why it was "crazy reasonable"...first couple of years were crazy. Then it became reasonable. I would probably label it a "crazy reasonable awesome" contract, because its currently awesome. Bottom line. MacKinnon is awesome and there are like 27 teams better than 4 years ago, including the Avs.

Blues captured their first Cup, still in their cup window, but are a definitive No??? Might be easier to take if other yeses were correct (Minnesota? for example)

Blues captured their first Cup, still in their cup window, but are a definitive No??? Might be easier to take if other yeses were correct (Minnesota? for example)
- Mph6689

Yeah that one was confusing. They look like a tire fire right now

Looks like the post was edited. Originally there was no answer for Minnesota and Nashville. So I thought it was a rhetorical question for readers to answer. I said both Minnesota and Nashville were worse today. But I guess Ek thinks Minnesota is better. Looks like a tire-fire of washed up overpaid veterans mixed with a bunch of young guys with limited ceilings, led by a clueless GM.

How are the Blues not better than they were 4 years ago? They FINALLY won a Cup. Better players now. You are WRONG

How are the Blues not better than they were 4 years ago? They FINALLY won a Cup. Better players now. You are WRONG

Also they lost to the Sharks, not the Preds. The Blues were fantastic in those playoffs though so I don't think it's that bad of a take. Petro was on a roll. Some of the best playoff hockey I've watched; the WC matchups were so good.

Ek is busy with his full time job counting ballots right now. Not able to put together a comprehensible post on HB due to lack of sleep.

More to come

Ek is busy with his full time job counting ballots right now. Not able to put together a comprehendible post on HB due to lack of sleep.

More to come
- Gerk

Nice!

Yes, unfortunately Pennsylvania and Nevada chose to count using the buzztron. We might be waiting a while.

That's why it was "crazy reasonable"...first couple of years were crazy. Then it became reasonable. I would probably label it a "crazy reasonable awesome" contract, because its currently awesome. Bottom line. MacKinnon is awesome and there are like 27 teams better than 4 years ago, including the Avs.
- Kooleus

Interesting how people jumped all over Dubas for giving Nylander a salary of 7M AAV after having seasons of 61 and 61 and yet Mackinnon's "crazy reasonable" contract, at the time, avoided such criticism for a player who had clearly inferior numbers leading up to the signing.

Interesting how people jumped all over Dubas for giving Nylander a salary of 7M AAV after having seasons of 61 and 61 and yet Mackinnon's "crazy reasonable" contract, at the time, avoided such criticism for a player who had clearly inferior numbers leading up to the signing.
- mjones242

More interesting things...

-MacKinnon plays center. Nylander plays wing.
-MacKinnon achieved that with garbage talent around him. Nylander was surrounded by elite teammates.
-MacKinnon was already demonstrating he was a leader who hated to lose. Nylander was a creampuff that likes to comb his hair.

But otherwise it's the same thing.

4 years of moving up the standings maybe check with the 'cap experts' in the Nucks thread.

"Re-signed MacKinnon to a crazy reasonable 7/$44M"

This continues to be a myth. This was following seasons of 63, 38 and 52 points. He had 53 points the following season. If anything it was a bit of an overpay. He didn't become the super elite player he is until after that contract was signed.
- FoppaForever

This, Same with people who claim Marchand is so underpaid. There needs to be some perspective in these deals. Mackinnon could not have gotten more money with those stats at all.

It's funny because Mackinnon himself claims he took some massive discount and will next time (Although he had to retract the statement LOL.

This, Same with people who claim Marchand is so underpaid. There needs to be some perspective in these deals. Mackinnon could not have gotten more money with those stats at all.

It's funny because Mackinnon himself claims he took some massive discount and will next time (Although he had to retract the statement LOL.
- RogerRoeper

So you're comparing a 29-year old signing as a UFA to a 20-year old signing as an RFA? Neat.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 are the Blues better than 4 years ago??? Hell yes. And they never signed Perron to 2 yrs at $7.5, never. 🤦‍♂️
Since the last four years they won a Cup and finished before covid as the best team in the west. Covid plsy offs were not the same. Letting Petro walk was addition by subtraction in the long haul. Biggest error was Faulk extension. That said Faulk looked good in the covid playoffs better than Petro did. Petro has had only one great play off run--one. He's been good just not great excepting the run to the Cup. That matters. When the cream rises to the top it makes the difference.

4 years ago what did the goaltending look like?

My country is better now than it was 4 years ago.