2024-25 NHL Thread: Auston Matthews Returns

This Jeremy Swayman drama…essentially Neely and Swaymans agent say contradicting things. Who is lying? (Gotta be the agent right?)

By and large, if Cam Neely is saying something I treat it with a healthy dose of skepticism. He’s cut from the old Harry Sinden squeeze players at any chance cloth, so it wouldn’t surprise me if the Bs hadn’t offered anything close to 8/64.

Update on injuries: I didn’t see the Reinbacher play, but he’s the one that will be out 5-6 months. Laine will only be 2-3 months reportedly.

Finally: Columbus will get to start the season under the salary cap for a “reasonable additional amount of time” following the start of the season due to Gaudreau’s death and $7.5 million of his cap hit disappearing as a result. Which, it sounds like they’re just barely under at this point so the entire thing might be completely overblown [as most cap-related how are they going to be cap compliant stuff is], but the $2 million charge for Gaudreau’s signing bonus should probably serve as a template for cap handling going forward.

LAK going East Coast for their first six games, playing another two (VGK, ANA) on the way home.
Wondering what is going on at Staples(RIP).
Well, they did dismantle and mantle a new scoreboard in 14 days. And during that stretch, two concerts were held.

Rumor is the Bruins offered 8x7.8, so Neely was lying, but the agent was trying to make it sound like they were very far apart.

I don’t understand Neely trying to spin public opinion against a very important player on the team, and lie while doing it. Stupid stupid.

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We have our first regular season game complete, and New Jersey beats Buffalo 4-1 over in Prague in the first game of the Global Series over in Europe. It was 3-1, but Buffalo pulled the goalie with about 3:30 to play because teh analytics say you should do that and New Jersey potted an empty netter.

4 days to the start of the regular season for everyone else.

Devils are like 5th most likely to win the cup according to Vegas odds this year, even though they missed the playoffs last season. They added a lot of solid depth players this off season and got a goalie. This game it was those depth players and goalie that stood out. Perhaps the oddsmakers know a thing or two.

Actual analytics. Make a note of it.
They’re already losing, only can go up.

Or, they can give up. Yes, THAT is a team i want to root for.

Poor sabres

I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there are a lot of dumbfucks in the NHL.

That’s Hockey, Baby!!!

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"I know we’re down 6-1 and there’s 9 minutes left, but Jim called down from the press box and said that Poindexter said that teh analytics say there’s a 0.0000000001% chance we can win this game if we pull the goalie right now. I know, you guys have played like dogshit all night, and there’s no sign you’re going to quit playing like dogshit tonight, but Poindexter says if we put a 6th pile of dogshit out there, you guys can pull it together and rifle in 5 goals and never allow a shot and that can get us to OT and maybe we win there, or at least get a point for getting there.

“I think he’s fucking nuts, but he says teh analytics are never wrong, so … Bobby, sit your ass on the bench, we’re going for the extra attacker and eternal glory. And if it doesn’t work, … well, you losers were going to lose anyway.”

Never take hockey advice from someone who’s never skated

Quitting is such a better option. Just take all the players off and forfeit.

New Jersey 3, Buffalo 1. Devils sweep the Global Series Czechia presented by Fastenal 2-0. Lindy Ruff remains 36 wins shy of 900 for his career, with a decent chance he may end the season still shy of 900.

3 days until regular season starts in earnest.

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Bruins settle with Swayman at 8/66, or 8.25M per year.

Great job there, Cam. You’re as overrated an executive as you were a player.

Tampa’s final preseason game vs. Nashville is cancelled due to impending Hurricane Milton. TBD is whether the home opener on Saturday goes.

My son has a ticket for the Saturday Tampa home opener but he hightailed it out of Tampa this afternoon to Miami. I expect he will return for it if the game proceeds.

My grand nephew is a potential NHLer but the Cookes are late growers. This photo shows the difference between my little nephew and another 14 year old.

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That’s about how big Cole Caufield is, and he’s found his way to the NHL and a $7.5M per year contract. Tell him to work on sniping the corners.

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Who wins the divisions this year?

Seems like out West the Oilers and Stars will be big favorites, with chances for the Canucks and Avs (Maybe even VGK, LAK, WPG, or NSH).

Out East it’s a lot more wide open, with maybe the Panthers and Leafs the favorites in the Atlantic with Boston and Tampa not far behind. In the Metro the Rangers Devils and Canes seem to be equally favored.

There’s usually a weird team that makes the playoffs each year, maybe Utah? Montreal? Chicago? I could see Bedard being in the MVP race this season carrying the Blackhawks.