NHL 2022-2023: FA July 13th - LET IT BEGIN

[gmillerdrake]

So that solid performance that the Kings had against the Blues, yesterday?  It wasn't there today against the Stars.  It was like the game against the Blues.  Things were going smoothly and all of a sudden, Kings was popping goals left and right.  Today, that happened the other way where the Stars was popping goals in a short period of time to where the game was out of reach for the Kings.  So we've reach this part of the season where the team can be frustratingly inconsistent.  I know this group can pull it together to score with at least three good lines and can play good defense and goaltending, but the D and goaltending hasn't been quite at the level I know this team is capable of.

Such a Jekyll and Hyde team, it seems.  I was paying a lot more attention to the World Series, and my inclination was to blame Petersen, but the one goal I saw in real time definitely wasn't his fault. If they can consistently played like they did against STL, this will be a team to be reckoned with come April.  If not....

Keep in mind while yes....the Kings played well in that game.....StL is struggling hard to play a competitive game right now. Lots of pieces that in the first three games had the appearance that were going to work good together....but, since then look lost as all hell. So, it was good for you guys that the Kings exploited StL in that way....but....they were also playing a team that is just going through the motions right now.

[pg1067]

So that solid performance that the Kings had against the Blues, yesterday?  It wasn't there today against the Stars.  It was like the game against the Blues.  Things were going smoothly and all of a sudden, Kings was popping goals left and right.  Today, that happened the other way where the Stars was popping goals in a short period of time to where the game was out of reach for the Kings.  So we've reach this part of the season where the team can be frustratingly inconsistent.  I know this group can pull it together to score with at least three good lines and can play good defense and goaltending, but the D and goaltending hasn't been quite at the level I know this team is capable of.

Such a Jekyll and Hyde team, it seems.  I was paying a lot more attention to the World Series, and my inclination was to blame Petersen, but the one goal I saw in real time definitely wasn't his fault. If they can consistently played like they did against STL, this will be a team to be reckoned with come April.  If not....

Keep in mind while yes....the Kings played well in that game.....StL is struggling hard to play a competitive game right now. Lots of pieces that in the first three games had the appearance that were going to work good together....but, since then look lost as all hell. So, it was good for you guys that the Kings exploited StL in that way....but....they were also playing a team that is just going through the motions right now.

Understood, but I could just as easily have said Toronto or Tampa.  The Kings looked GREAT against Tampa and then were hot garbage for 40 minutes against Winnipeg.  They then looked great against Toronto and St. Louis and laid an egg against Dallas.  The consistency isn't there, and this team is capable of being better than a .500.

[jingle.boy]

So that solid performance that the Kings had against the Blues, yesterday?  It wasn't there today against the Stars.  It was like the game against the Blues.  Things were going smoothly and all of a sudden, Kings was popping goals left and right.  Today, that happened the other way where the Stars was popping goals in a short period of time to where the game was out of reach for the Kings.  So we've reach this part of the season where the team can be frustratingly inconsistent.  I know this group can pull it together to score with at least three good lines and can play good defense and goaltending, but the D and goaltending hasn't been quite at the level I know this team is capable of.

Such a Jekyll and Hyde team, it seems.  I was paying a lot more attention to the World Series, and my inclination was to blame Petersen, but the one goal I saw in real time definitely wasn't his fault.  If they can consistently played like they did against STL, this will be a team to be reckoned with come April.  If not....

That's the trick for EVERY team... to consistently play your best hockey.

[axeman90210]

Hell of a win for the Devils last night. We played Edmonton pretty even in the first and went into the intermission tied at 1. Edmonton jumped ahead 3-1 in the second period, which featured an injury-forced goaltender change for us. A goal early in the third brought us within one, and then two goals in a 7 second span with a few minutes left put us ahead. I'm starting to think we might be for real this year.

[gmillerdrake]

Man.....the Blues are just bad right now. Thing is, I'm not sure there is any quick fix to this. It seems the black magic that Armstrong has used over the past decade with signing players that played above expectation and him not getting past his ego and re-signing Petro and Perron to name just two is finally catching up to him. A lot of players just absent and going through the motions. Pretty tough to watch after becoming accustomed to at least a competitive effort in every game for the past decade or so. This team looks BAD.

[King Postwhore]

Chad, is the B's/Leafs the "Hockey Night In Canada" game?

[jingle.boy]

Chad, is the B's/Leafs the "Hockey Night In Canada" game?

But of course.  Toronto is the centre of the hockey universe afterall - as evidenced by the Leafs remaining the most financially valuable franchise at over $2B. 

I think I'll be cranking out one of my Moving Pictures beers for the game.  I'll text you a picture of my enjoyment around 7:15 ... before puck drop, as I'm sure my enjoyment will drop drastically after that 

[King Postwhore]

 

[Nick]

It's still early in the season, but having gone in with two goaltenders both looking to make solid jumps to the next level it was entirely possible to go 1a/1b or 2a/2b with tandems. That's not at all how it's shaking out. We have a starter and a backup.

Nedeljkovic is sitting at .871 while Husso is at .934. And they've looked like the numbers would suggest.

[romdrums]

It's still early in the season, but having gone in with two goaltenders both looking to make solid jumps to the next level it was entirely possible to go 1a/1b or 2a/2b with tandems. That's not at all how it's shaking out. We have a starter and a backup.

Nedeljkovic is sitting at .871 while Husso is at .934. And they've looked like the numbers would suggest.

Husso's been solid in net so far.  Ned only looked good against the Devils, and even then he looked like he was battling the puck a little.  The team looks like they play better in front of Husso as well.  Watching the third period of last night's game, Ned would've let in multiple goals on the same shots Husso was facing.  Ned needs to sit for a while to work on his game.

Also, nice to see the Wings bounce back after getting shellacked in Buffalo.  While they weren't 02 Wings good, they dug in and got the win.  Nice to see Copp finally get his first of the year.  Hopefully, he gets on a similar roll to Lucas Raymond after he got off the schneid.  Then they need to help Seider get his game straightened out.  It seems like he and Chiarot aren't gelling as well as expected.  Weirdly enough, Hronek and Maatta have been the most consistent defensive pair for the Wings so far this season.

[King Postwhore]

Tim, WTF are the Bruins doing signing that despicable kid Miller?!

[TAC]

Tim, WTF are the Bruins doing signing that despicable kid Miller?!

I don't know. Honestly I'm not as outraged as all of the talking heads were yesterday. I don't think it's a great idea though and it puts a lot of people in the organIzation in a tough spot. Like Bergeron wants to answer questions about it in Toronto tonight.

[King Postwhore]

That's the point though.  It affects the team and a poor decision by management.

[romdrums]

And I thought it would be impossible for the Bruins to find someone more detestable than Brad Marchand.

[TAC]

That's the point though.  It affects the team and a poor decision by management.

Well, sure, but everyone seemed to be grabbing their pitchforks yesterday. A lot of it felt like manufactured outrage.

And I thought it would be impossible for the Bruins to find someone more detestable than Brad Marchand.

You all love would Brad Marchand! 

[King Postwhore]

And I thought it would be impossible for the Bruins to find someone more detestable than Brad Marchand.

I love our Rat.

Tim, rightfully so they did.  This kid showed no remorse in his bullying of a special needs kid.  Even after juvie he continued the bullying.  The judge wrote that he showed no remorse in what he did.


That's the real outgrage by most.  Everyone deserves a second chance but this kid didn't even feel any remorse.

[Anguyen92]

You all love would Brad Marchand! 

I, too, would love having a guy like Brad Marchand on our team.  I just don't want them to play against that guy, which I guess proves the point.  Instead, all we have in that front is a guy that was suspended for biting Brady Tkachuk.

As for the kid that got signed, the B's management has really messed up where the coach wasn't consulted about it, Bergeron, and I presume the rest of the veterans, are saying it goes against their culture and what they stand for as players (which I will say they have a great level of culture and now they got to work with this guy?), and even Bettman is going, "I don't know if this kid even eligible to crack a NHL roster, the Bruins didn't consult the league, we would need to look into this."

[King Postwhore]

Tim.  NHL stepped in and has blocked this kid from being able to play in the NHL.

[KevShmev]

I get that it can be difficult to punish adults for what they did when they were kids, but what that guy did was way beyond the pale.  Good for the NHL for stepping in.

[TAC]

Tim.  NHL stepped in and has blocked this kid from being able to play in the NHL.

I saw that. Even makes the decision even more baffling. It's so embarrassing.

[TheCountOfNYC]

Tim.  NHL stepped in and has blocked this kid from being able to play in the NHL.

I saw that. Even makes the decision even more baffling. It's so embarrassing.

You know you fucked up when Gary Bettman has the moral high ground.

[gmillerdrake]

Tim.  NHL stepped in and has blocked this kid from being able to play in the NHL.

I saw that. Even makes the decision even more baffling. It's so embarrassing.

I don't know. Not condoning what he said/did but I'm sure glad I'm not being held hostage by the stupid crap I said and did when I was in 8th grade. We're talking about a 14 year old kid doing something dumb. Not a 24 year old.....shoot.....even 18 year old. Not sure I agree that this kid can never make a living doing what he's good at.

[TAC]

Tim.  NHL stepped in and has blocked this kid from being able to play in the NHL.

I saw that. Even makes the decision even more baffling. It's so embarrassing.

I don't know. Not condoning what he said/did but I'm sure glad I'm not being held hostage by the stupid crap I said and did when I was in 8th grade. We're talking about a 14 year old kid doing something dumb. Not a 24 year old.....shoot.....even 18 year old. Not sure I agree that this kid can never make a living doing what he's good at.

Gary, I don't disagree with you. My posts above illustrate that.


To me, what I was saying is embarrassing is not knowing where the NHL stood on this before signing the kid.

[Anguyen92]

I think it's not just that he did the actions when he was 14.  It was more of the fact that to this day, according to various reports, that all the guy did to show any hints of remorse was nothing more than an "Instagram" apology post.  Didn't talk to the victim or the victim's family in person to own his mistakes.  It just doesn't seem like he (and his family) thought what he did was really messed up and scarred another person pretty badly when it was unwarranted.  Should a team give him a contract to reward that kind of behavior and mentality?

[SchecterShredder]

Tim.  NHL stepped in and has blocked this kid from being able to play in the NHL.

I saw that. Even makes the decision even more baffling. It's so embarrassing.

You know you fucked up when Gary Bettman has the moral high ground.

Quote of the day right there 

[King Postwhore]

Tim.  NHL stepped in and has blocked this kid from being able to play in the NHL.

I saw that. Even makes the decision even more baffling. It's so embarrassing.

I don't know. Not condoning what he said/did but I'm sure glad I'm not being held hostage by the stupid crap I said and did when I was in 8th grade. We're talking about a 14 year old kid doing something dumb. Not a 24 year old.....shoot.....even 18 year old. Not sure I agree that this kid can never make a living doing what he's good at.

The problem Gary is that he's never shown remorse for what he did. The Judge in juvenile court put that in his statement.   He even continued it after juvie.

So that's the big uproar.

[KevShmev]

The bigger issue is that this wasn't just one stupid thing he did as a kid.  This was years of cruel, racist and abusive behavior. 

Ultimately, the big takeaway is that sports teams are willing to sign anyone if they think they can help them win.  I doubt this surprises anyone.

[King Postwhore]

He even continued it after juvenile court snd to this day shows no remorse.  That's why people are in an uproar.   

[KevShmev]

He was one of those kids that someone needed to beat the crap out of in high school.  I am sure the "violent is never the answer" crowd will disagree, but a bully is never the same after getting punched in the teeth. 

[King Postwhore]

I'm with you. Sometimes it takes a good person to step over the line to set things straight. 

[jammindude]

Too early to get too excited.

But the team is too new to NOT get excited.

The Kraken in 2nd place? Turbo with a game winner against his old team? What not to love?? GO KRAKEN!!!!

[Anguyen92]

Well, yesterday's Kings/Panthers game was pretty crazy.  Quick and Bobrovsky didn't have the greatest of games which resulted in a 5-4 game.  A goal was waived off because Matthew Tkachuk slightly elbowed Quick which counted as goalie interference.  Doughty shot the puck, incidentally, to two Panthers players hard. The winning goal from Vilardi was with about 3 minutes left in the game.  Tkachuk getting all close to Quick in the closing minute led him to "accidentally" put his stick through Quick's mask while Quick was making a save and with like 1 second left, Quick had enough of that and wanted a piece of Tkachuk which led to a scramble.  Sadly, no Tkachuk/Brendan Lemieux fight (and the camera keep flashing at him since he really wanted a piece of Matthew).

At least, they scored in the last minute of the second period and that means a free McFlurry for SoCal at McDonald's for today.  Neat.

[pg1067]

At least, they scored in the last minute of the second period and that means a free McFlurry for SoCal at McDonald's for today.  Neat.

Wait...what?  It's not just for the folks in attendance?!  Awesome!

My first reaction to that scrum was that there were still 3-4 seconds left when Quick decided to stop playing his position and go after Tkachuk.  Can you imagine if the puck had gone in?  But I really wanted to see Quick drop the gloves.  Of course, Kopitar wasn't going to let that happen.

[KevShmev]

My first reaction to that scrum was that there were still 3-4 seconds left when Quick decided to stop playing his position and go after Tkachuk.  Can you imagine if the puck had gone in?  But I really wanted to see Quick drop the gloves.  Of course, Kopitar wasn't going to let that happen.

Looks like Tkachuk took a whack at Quick's face with his stick like 30 seconds before that, so I was fine with the Kings gang tackling Tkachuk and trying to pound him.  Cheap shots in hockey are not unusual, which is why doofuses like Kadri have careers, but you have to protect your goalie from dirty play like that.

[Anguyen92]

At least, they scored in the last minute of the second period and that means a free McFlurry for SoCal at McDonald's for today.  Neat.

Wait...what?  It's not just for the folks in attendance?!  Awesome!

Yeah, it's under the rewards/deals section of the McDonald's app for today for anyone in the region.  I enjoyed four of those last season.