The Swamp

brian wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:23 am Hockey in the desert will never work.

Have you thought about selling some of your tickets? You can pay for most all of next season!

degenerasian wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:44 am

brian wrote: ↑Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:23 am Hockey in the desert will never work.

Have you thought about selling some of your tickets? You can pay for most all of next season!

I know, but just can't do it. There's a lot of reasons, not the least of which is how awesome the atmosphere at T-Mobile is. But this is a historic opportunity and I'm already kicking myself for missing the two first round games for the vacation I scheduled a year ago. Works out good for the playoffs really as we only have the two tickets so Rams Fanny and I just go together unless there's some weird situation (like my vacation).

If I would have had any kind of inkling of what was going to happen, we would have gotten four tickets instead of two so that we could have taken more friends to games (and charged face or gave them away as gifts or whatever) and maybe sold on occasion to make a few bucks.

I didn't figure we were ever going to get "upside down" on the tickets. I knew even if they sucked for three or four years we could probably sell regular season tix if we wanted at face, but I didn't think regular season tickets in our section of the upper bowl would be going for almost three times face in the regular season and three times face (even at $165 ea.) for the second-round.

Oiler has a single for game 5 at T-Mobile. He was shocked at the inability to find two together, and now he's pissed that it's likely Friday, not Saturday.

I don't know if police dogs are OK with being called doggo, but I can never get enough of doggos in hockey sweaters.

(It's also nice to see that doggos have the same issue as I do where the sleeves are always too long.)

I considered getting mine tailored for a second before realizing how stupid that is.

This was pretty funny. Our TV news here sucks, but the timing of the winning goal coming during the 10 p.m. news was awesome.

What's also hilarious is the fairly moronic take: "and you saw it here first on Fox 5!"

Um, buddy, sorry to break this to you, but...

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Tue May 01, 2018 3:13 pm What's also hilarious is the fairly moronic take: "and you saw it here first on Fox 5!"

Um, buddy, sorry to break this to you, but...

Though technically if you were watching Fox5 instead of NBCSN, that would be true. But yeah, I get you. That Ted Pretty guy is pretty hilarious tbh. Whenever he does a live remote and some doofus stands behind him and makes faces he usually turns around to confront them. They've never expecting that.

Been a lot of discussion about the "Golden Misfits" nickname. Apparently, it started as a group text/chat name from James Neal at the beginning of the season and mushroomed into the WAGs getting (pretty damn cool) shirts made.



(If you can't read backwards numbers, that's Reilly Smith's (#19) GF on the right and Erik Haula's (#56) on the left.)

Jebus Haula is punching above his weight.

Interesting question on Biscuits today.

If VGK gets through here or even if they don't and doesn't repeat this type of success again next year, what's the fanbase reaction? Is there any issue with this being too much too quick and getting used to being this competitive if you can't catch lightning in a bottle again in the next 2-3 years?

Any thoughts Brian?

BSF21 wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:02 pm Interesting question on Biscuits today.

If VGK gets through here or even if they don't and doesn't repeat this type of success again next year, what's the fanbase reaction? Is there any issue with this being too much too quick and getting used to being this competitive if you can't catch lightning in a bottle again in the next 2-3 years?

Any thoughts Brian?

Nah, they've built up about at least two full seasons of good will, so if they don't make the playoffs for a couple of years they should be OK. After that, it's kind of anybody's guess. I think it should be fine for even longer as long as there's a sense of a plan. With all of their first-rounders last year and the stockpile of draft picks over the next three years, it's hard to imagine them not being at least competitive after three years down the road.

brian wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:07 pm

BSF21 wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:02 pm Interesting question on Biscuits today.

If VGK gets through here or even if they don't and doesn't repeat this type of success again next year, what's the fanbase reaction? Is there any issue with this being too much too quick and getting used to being this competitive if you can't catch lightning in a bottle again in the next 2-3 years?

Any thoughts Brian?

Nah, they've built up about at least two full seasons of good will, so if they don't make the playoffs for a couple of years they should be OK. After that, it's kind of anybody's guess. I think it should be fine for even longer as long as there's a sense of a plan. With all of their first-rounders last year and the stockpile of draft picks over the next three years, it's hard to imagine them not being competitive after three years down the road.

Sort of what my thought was but it's just interesting. I know we keep saying this can't happen and this is so off base, but reality will hit at some point and they will have a down year(s). Interesting thought.

BSF21 wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:09 pm

brian wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:07 pm

BSF21 wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:02 pm Interesting question on Biscuits today.

If VGK gets through here or even if they don't and doesn't repeat this type of success again next year, what's the fanbase reaction? Is there any issue with this being too much too quick and getting used to being this competitive if you can't catch lightning in a bottle again in the next 2-3 years?

Any thoughts Brian?

Nah, they've built up about at least two full seasons of good will, so if they don't make the playoffs for a couple of years they should be OK. After that, it's kind of anybody's guess. I think it should be fine for even longer as long as there's a sense of a plan. With all of their first-rounders last year and the stockpile of draft picks over the next three years, it's hard to imagine them not being competitive after three years down the road.

Sort of what my thought was but it's just interesting. I know we keep saying this can't happen and this is so off base, but reality will hit at some point and they will have a down year(s). Interesting thought.

I'll reserve judgment/predictions until after the postseason and offseason, I think it's possible/likely they'll be scuffling around the last playoff spots next season, so we might get a chance to see what a "normal" season looks like in Las Vegas next year.

Has any fanbase ever been patient in a non-rebuild missed playoff situation?

mister d wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:14 pm Has any fanbase ever been patient in a non-rebuild missed playoff situation?

It's pretty rare, but might get a chance to find out next year.

mister d wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:14 pm Has any fanbase ever been patient in a non-rebuild missed playoff situation?

Isn't everything rebuild here as they go? They've got 9 players rostered through 19-20. Lots of contracts to be handed out/negotiated and it makes you wonder how many of these guys are in it for a long haul. When some idiot GM comes in and wants to pay William Karlsson 7 mil next off season it creates some interesting situations.

BSF21 wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:39 pm

mister d wrote: ↑Wed May 02, 2018 4:14 pm Has any fanbase ever been patient in a non-rebuild missed playoff situation?

Isn't everything rebuild here as they go? They've got 9 players rostered through 19-20. Lots of contracts to be handed out/negotiated and it makes you wonder how many of these guys are in it for a long haul. When some idiot GM comes in and wants to pay William Karlsson 7 mil next off season it creates some interesting situations.

I think Karlsson at $7M a year could end up being a steal. I don't think the 43 goals was an anomaly, but closer to what can be expected out of him (maybe not 43 goals every year, but a perennial 30-goal guy. His shooting percentage will revert back closer to average, but if you're paying a first-line center about $200K per goal you're in the ballpark (especially if they're as gifted defensively as Karlsson -- he should have been at least a finalist for the Selke this year.)

But yeah, there's some interesting decisions to make. Some people shit on the Tatar deal not realizing or thinking about the fact that they had to get some forwards under contract for 19-20/20-21 and they didn't want to have to depend on relying on the first-rounders from last year or FA acquisitions.

I think they work out a semi-team friendly medium term deal with Karlsson this offseason that would see him get one more big FA deal if he plays up to it or outplays it (think about 3 years/$20M). I think they shouldn't have too much of an issue with a new deal for Theodore. They'll re-sign one of Neal or Perron and let the other walk. They have Glass (#6 overall) and Suzuki (#13 overall) ready to play as soon as next year if necessary but guessing they'd prefer those guys get one more year in juniors (think they both aren't AHL-eligible next year, but not sure on that).

30 goals on his same amount of shots is still shooting 16.3%, but I'd agree with the larger point that if can be a 1st/2nd line tweener C, he's worth $7MM even at 20-25 goals. Unless you hire Jeff Gorton, then that sort of consistent production is actually something you fear being "stuck" with so you'll dump him off at the draft at age 27 with 4 years left on his deal and no 1C to take his place.

Hockey in Las Vegas will never work, Part 89:



(Also, how about Buffalo? Someone needs to fix that franchise and get those fans a winning team ASAP.)

Boston + Providence + Fort Myers is probably a fair combo

I'm reading that wrong, or did Vegas come in 5th behind Pens, Predators, Bruins and Lightnings?

San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose is considered one market. I'm guessing the ratings were high in 1/3 of the market.

mister d wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 6:34 pm I'm reading that wrong, or did Vegas come in 5th behind Pens, Predators, Bruins and Lightnings?

Not exactly. It’s not aggregate like Ryan implied. A rating point in Providence doesn’t mean someone in Boston can’t watch. Ratings could theoretically be 100 in Boston AND Providence.

(Actually that’s not entirely accurate but it’s kinda of accurate. Ratings are weird.)

In any event the point wasn’t to shit on any other markets just to say that despite it being the first season engagement is not an issue. Also Tampa and Nashville are doing well in other “non-traditional” markets as well.

Here's a pretty good rebuttal to a subset of the BS "Vegas was gifted a great team because of the expansion draft rules" takes, related to taking advantage of Florida and Columbus' salary-cap situations to fleece those teams. (Or not, as the article pretty clearly shows.)

GMGM took advantage of some dumb GMs for sure, but it's not like the NHL setup the rules to deliver franchise players to Vegas.

brian wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 11:42 am Here's a pretty good rebuttal to a subset of the BS "Vegas was gifted a great team because of the expansion draft rules" takes, related to taking advantage of Florida and Columbus' salary-cap situations to fleece those teams. (Or not, as the article pretty clearly shows.)

GMGM took advantage of some dumb GMs for sure, but it's not like the NHL setup the rules to deliver franchise players to Vegas.

Haven't read the article, but agree completely with the premise that Vegas wasn't gifted anything. Even after the expansion draft, no one picked them to do anything other than finish last in the division. Plus, the team went through what, 6 goalies before Flower got healthy? They really should rename the GM of the year award after McPhee who did a masterful job. Or maybe they should rename the Adams after Gallant. Either way, the management and coaches have done an amazing job. The players did a ton as well, obviously. It's a fantastic story that I would be more invested in hoping for a fairy tale outcome if my team wasn't still alive.

The only even partially acceptable argument is "the league should know how dumb some of their GMs are and should have disallowed draft-trade agreements to protect them from themselves".

To me it's more about "hot take" journalism and social media morons using the word "rigged." Because, yes, let's be clear, the NHL absolutely looked at how shitty Columbus and Atlanta were and decided to adjust the draft rules to leave a higher number of quality players available.

But it's not like they did something incredibly dramatic on this front... I'd say tweak or adjust are appropriate descriptors.

And as we've said a bunch on this thread, GMGM still had to make the right moves here.

The franchise I feel bad for is Seattle. Because, a) the lightning in a bottle is going to be damn near impossible to replicated and b) the expectations are going to be ridiculous.

Nonlinear FC wrote: ↑Wed May 09, 2018 4:05 pm To me it's more about "hot take" journalism and social media morons using the word "rigged." Because, yes, let's be clear, the NHL absolutely looked at how shitty Columbus and Atlanta were and decided to adjust the draft rules to leave a higher number of quality players available.

But it's not like they did something incredibly dramatic on this front... I'd say tweak or adjust are appropriate descriptors.

And as we've said a bunch on this thread, GMGM still had to make the right moves here.

The franchise I feel bad for is Seattle. Because, a) the lightning in a bottle is going to be damn near impossible to replicated and b) the expectations are going to be ridiculous.

Yes, but the NHL has stated that the rules will be the same for them. So, at least they won't be behind the eight ball like the Wild and Predators. Although, I guess that could add to the pressure as well.

They do have Tod Leiweke on board though, and he should get quite a bit of credit for what he started here with the Bolts.

Big difference between Seattle and Vegas is going to be most GMs are just going to do what Poile did and protect 11 guys and just say "take whoever you want amongst who is left". That's going to be the safest move, so you're not going to see any repeats of Columbus, Florida and Minnesota tripping on their dicks trying to protect one (or more) specific player. (Of the teams above, the most defensible was Minnesota, but I still think that's one of the main reasons Fletcher lost his job. I get he wanted to protect Dumba and some of their other young guys, but if you went to whomever the new GM in Minnesota is and offered to trade Haula and Tuch for Dumba I imagine he takes that deal almost every day. Definitely a case of overthinking it.)

Still, Seattle will get bailed out by a couple of teams with cap issues most likely. That helped Vegas, but not as far as players necessarily, but it got them two extra first-rounders (plus some other picks) from Columbus and the Islanders to absorb some cap liabilities. (Columbus giving up on Karlsson looks dumb in retrospect of course, but if they had only lost Karlsson at least you could have defended them for trying to protect all their other young guys. Losing Karlsson and giving up multiple draft picks including a first-rounder to boot?)

@BarkAndre_Furry probably has more Twitter followers than any of us, so that's a thing.

Aw man, now I'm upset. The Pens have been releasing a "Pens and Paws" calendar as a fundraiser for years. Whoever missed that opportunity should be fired.

(as an aside, the guy who replaced MAF has a Newfie that's about as tall as he is when stood up on it's hind legs)

No, man that's a bear, not a dog.

VGK is now #1 in the NHL for merch sales and is outselling the other three remaining playoff teams combined.

(Though to be somewhat fair, a lot of those fans already have their gear, so...)

brian wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 1:41 pm VGK is now #1 in the NHL for merch sales and is outselling the other three remaining playoff teams combined.

(Though to be somewhat fair, a lot of those fans already have their gear, so...)

Yeah, :D... I have 3 Caps sweaters (ooooold school Pete Peeters, Ovechkin, no name), 3 hats and I've thrown out probably a dozen t-shirts over the years... And that doesn't include my Hershey gear (sweater, hat, t-shirt.)

My kids also have an array of stuff, including The Girl who has a Burakovsky.