The Swamp

We're in the preseason now, which is the 'not a girl, not yet a woman' stage of the season. Definitely not the offseason, tho. Might be time for a new thread. Besides, I'm going to be on my computer all day and want to talk puck.

I'll drop the puck with Bobby Orr's first contract with the Oshawa Generals and Boston Bruins, signed in 1962 when he was 14:

$12/week + $1000 bonus

Bruins pay to have his house stuccoed, 'in full, at a cost of approximately $850.'

Orr's father gets a used car, 'up to a 1956 model, of the father's choice.'

live look at me this morning after getting an email from a friend who seemed excited that the shitsabres won a preseason game:


solid:

bapo! wrote: ↑Wed Sep 29, 2021 9:41 am We're in the preseason now, which is the 'not a girl, not yet a woman' stage of the season.

the world is better with more bapo! in it

One storyline I'm really not looking forward to following this year: anything virus-related. About half of the headlines that I'm reading are about COVID. Which buildings will be open full-capacity? Which player is an idiot on social media? Will this fourth-liner get cut because he's not vaccinated? (Okay, I'll delete a kinda mean comment about a particular player who might be sick now.)

I just want to talk about, like, 2022 being The Mitch Marner Redemption Year. Or the Oilers' untenable goalie situation. Or whatever the Caps are going to do with Kuznetsov.



Saw an unexpected name drop in an article I read recently. Was reading about Evan Bouchard, the Oilers defenseman. He played part of last season in Switzerland before the NHL started up again. His playing time got cut when Roland McKeown came back from injury.

McKeown is one of those sad junior names that's always in my head. Like Sean Day, who we talked about not too long ago. Or John McFarland. Played with McDavid, Sam Bennett, and Josh Ho-Sang in Toronto. #2 pick in the OHL in 2012. Second-round pick in the NHL in 2014. Has played 10 NHL games since then. He'll be playing with Colorado's AHL team this year.

bapo! wrote: ↑Wed Sep 29, 2021 5:38 pm(Okay, I'll delete a kinda mean comment about a particular player who might be sick now.)

Who is this?

mister d wrote: ↑Wed Sep 29, 2021 7:05 pm Who is this?

Josh Archibald of the Oilers. Did a quick Google search after typing a draft of that post. Not sure what's up with him. I hope he's okay. But just get the vaccine, guys.



Evan Bouchard might be the player I'm most interested in this year. First-round pick in 2018, and I've been waiting a long time for him to arrive. Last year was a lost year because of the fucking virus and the weird call-up situation between the AHL and NHL. So he was excellent for a few games, but mostly just wasted a season sitting as the #7 defenseman. If he's as good as I think he is, that will answer a lot of questions for Edmonton. But I don't really know.

Interesting, hadn’t heard anything about that.

Just to follow up: Josh Archibald has COVID-related myocarditis. Well...fuck.

And Robin Lehner is keeping things interesting online, talking about teams with shady medical practices, specifically the Flyers. This could turn into a story. Or people will just forget about it.

Meanwhile, I'm just sitting here, wishing that the Oilers hadn't traded Caleb Jones for Duncan Keith, and waiting for the games to start. Actually thinking of signing up for ESPN+ this year. I need to treat myself, and staying up late watching the Oilers sounds like a good way to do that. (Don't say anything, degen. Just let me have this.) 9 days until Pens/Lightning. I'm starting to get the itch.

What chance of the Islanders doing as well as last season with a full schedule?

Tom 1860 wrote: ↑Sun Oct 03, 2021 4:26 pm What chance of the Islanders doing as well as last season with a full schedule?

They're a solid team with Barry Trotz behind the bench. They'll be good. They're not Tampa or Colorado, but they're a team that nobody else wants to play, especially in the playoffs.

Carey Price news sucks and you have to imagine its serious given the timing. Hope he comes back strong enough to beat other teams.

Barkov got paid, but it's not a bad deal for Florida. $10M/yr for him will probably look really good for at least 5 or 6 of those 8 years, if not the whole deal.

He definitely left AAV on the table to get that 8th year.

Realized recently that I missed Pittsburgh's early-season junior-hockey tournament again. A few years ago, the Penguins started hosting a big event spread thru-out various rinks in the region. All 16 teams in the USHL come here to play a couple of games, along with a lot of the top 18U, 16U, 15U, and 14U teams. I've never gone. I really wanted to go in 2018, when the USA team had Jack Hughes, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield, Matthew Boldy, Spencer Knight, etc., but logistics didn't work in my favor.

Anyway, it's been almost two years since I've gone to a hockey game. Maybe five or six years since I've gone to a non-NHL game. I miss hockey, bros. I need to sit in an empty rink and watch a couple of nondescript high school teams.

Pens/Lightning in about 50 hours.

bapo! wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 4:28 pm Realized recently that I missed Pittsburgh's early-season junior-hockey tournament again. A few years ago, the Penguins started hosting a big event spread thru-out various rinks in the region. All 16 teams in the USHL come here to play a couple of games, along with a lot of the top 18U, 16U, 15U, and 14U teams. I've never gone. I really wanted to go in 2018, when the USA team had Jack Hughes, Trevor Zegras, Cole Caufield, Matthew Boldy, Spencer Knight, etc., but logistics didn't work in my favor.

Anyway, it's been almost two years since I've gone to a hockey game. Maybe five or six years since I've gone to a non-NHL game. I miss hockey, bros. I need to sit in an empty rink and watch a couple of nondescript high school teams.

Pens/Lightning in about 50 hours.

Yah mo be there!

Love Mika but this one will be gross early. He’s just not a dude built to play through his mid-30s.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Sun Oct 10, 2021 6:26 pm Yah mo be there!

Up and over, chedda.

No expectations for Tuesday's game. I'm just rooting for no further injuries. If the Pens can tread water for a few months until Malkin gets back, then sneak into the playoffs, I'll be happy. We'll re-evaluate then. I have different expectations than Tampa fans.

Love Mika but this one will be gross early. He’s just not a dude built to play through his mid-30s.

Yeah, I like Zibanajed, but 8 years/$68M seems rather large. That might hurt when the Rangers' younger guys need a second contract.

I get that employees (such as the GM) don’t have the same rules, but it’s super upsetting to see a massive window get half-closed.

Things are starting out well for the Kraken:

That, and their plethora of cap room, helps explain them grabbing Alex Barre-Boulet off waivers from the Bolts.

We demoted two kid forwards because of the massive need to sign and play GRIT. The whole "rent free" thing is incredibly played out and was stupid even at its peak, but Tom Wilson and the Islanders truly fit the bill when it comes to the Rangers front office.

Lucas Raymond, the Red Wings' 2020 1st round pick, made the opening night roster. I am pleased, as he was productive during their exhibition schedule.

The Sharks might have four rookies make their debuts on the team's opening night. Including their 2021 first round pick, William Eklund, who turns 19 tomorrow. He was really good in preseason.

It's a funny roster - a boatload of very young guys, and a boatload of old guys.

At least they should be better than the Coyotes.

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 4:19 pm Lucas Raymond, the Red Wings' 2020 1st round pick, made the opening night roster. I am pleased, as he was productive during their exhibition schedule.

I am excited that he made it…that team needs something to get excited about.

GoodKarma wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 9:38 pm

DSafetyGuy wrote: ↑Mon Oct 11, 2021 4:19 pm Lucas Raymond, the Red Wings' 2020 1st round pick, made the opening night roster. I am pleased, as he was productive during their exhibition schedule.

I am excited that he made it…that team needs something to get excited about.

Yeah, I was surprised he made it. I feel like they wanted to bring Bobby Ryan back after least year and they would figure something out to have him make the opening roster after he came in on a tryout.

Between Raymond and Seider this year, the potential payoffs from their recent drafts have provided a higher level of interest going into this season. They're still likely a bottom-five team this year, but at least the light at the end of the tunnel will appear brighter

Chris Drury: Actively fucking the Rangers since May 2007

As expected, the high-octane Penguins offense built an insurmountable lead over the defending champions with goals by [checks notes] Danton Heinen, Brian Boyle, and Dominik Simon.

Not going to read much into one game, but this is typical of Mike Sullivan teams. The stars get hurt, then everybody else tightens up and and controls play. We'll see how long it lasts. Barkov and the Panthers tomorrow night.

I love Boyle.

Was fun last night seeing a couple of Pens-centric twitter accounts find and quote tweet ("uh, sorry man") all of the mean things they've said about him over the years.

Wait, hold up. I missed the last 10 minutes of the game, and I was wondering how I missed so many goals. Now I'm reading that the Penguins scored three empty-netters. That's wild.

rass wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:33 am Was fun last night seeing a couple of Pens-centric twitter accounts find and quote tweet ("uh, sorry man") all of the mean things they've said about him over the years.

What could you possibly say mean about Boyle?

bapo! wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 10:43 am Wait, hold up. I missed the last 10 minutes of the game, and I was wondering how I missed so many goals. Now I'm reading that the Penguins scored three empty-netters. That's wild.

Okay so I had this game on the background. Found myself in the reading room during the end of this game and just kept hearing the goals being scored.

It was less than enjoyable.

govmentchedda wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:16 am It was less than enjoyable.

Meh. I'd still rather be a Tampa fan than a Pens fan these days. (Well, not really, because I still love this Penguins team. But you know what I mean.) At least you got to watch the banner ceremony.

It was all downhill from there. The beers were good though.

I don't see the Kraken finishing worse than 5th in the Pacific and could easily see them finishing around 3rd.

Good to see any Seattle fans are getting a quick introduction into the officiating in the NHL. Can't believe that goal counted. Can't believe he called it a goal on the ice.

degenerasian wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 12:57 pm Good to see any Seattle fans are getting a quick introduction into the officiating in the NHL. Can't believe that goal counted. Can't believe he called it a goal on the ice.

You're allow to position your skate to deflect the puck in as long as you don't kick at it. It was the right call.

brian wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 1:03 pm

degenerasian wrote: ↑Wed Oct 13, 2021 12:57 pm Good to see any Seattle fans are getting a quick introduction into the officiating in the NHL. Can't believe that goal counted. Can't believe he called it a goal on the ice.

You're allow to position your skate to deflect the puck in as long as you don't kick at it. It was the right call.

It looked pretty deliberate but if thats the standard then OK.

Just five more hours to go until Tom Wilson laughs while all our “big” off-season acquisitions ignore hockey to chase him around the ice and take penalties.