It’s why I always laugh when fans criticize a player for bailing or when dumbasses on this board talk about how taxes do not matter. radulov bailed for Dallas because even though they offered him less money it was more $ in his pocket. Mtl could not give him 10$ a year against the cap. Who the fuck would not take a contract that gives you 1 more million on a 2-3 years basis just because they love the team? Some will do it but I cannot blame a professional hockey player for trying to earn as much as he can in his playing career. The team would drop him in a minute if something bad happens before the contract. also why tampa is able to sign all these guys, this really needs to be looked at by the nhl because it is really not a fair playing ground
Dallas offered him 250k more per year. Bergevin didn’t flinch until it was too late and Radulov had given Dallas his word he was coming.
And bergevin made the right decision, sucks but I think it was the right decision. Radulov is a great signing for Dallas but he would not make mtl a cup contender
Where does that leave Pietrangelo? Would’ve thought Colorado but they already have Makar, Girard and Byram on the right side. NJ, NYR, Vancouver? Maybe LA if he thinks they still have a run in them?
If Radulov is here, he doesn’t make the Drouin trade, though. Pretty sure Montreal makes the playoffs the last 2 years if you replace Drouin by Radulov and Sergachev.
Pretty clear that once Parayko showed that he was 1D that Piets salary desires weren’t in the cards. Might as well trade his negotiating rights to the Wings for a conditional 5th.
I always preferred off hand as a D. Only issue is wrap arounds in the offensive zone are tough. A 1 on 1 is easier to defend for a RHD on the left side than the right side as well.
it’s the break outs that are the issue at this level, you do not want a d to have to turn his body to make a pass while breaking out. There is not enough time.
On the pp I would almost always play my d off hand. But it’s a bitch for these guys when they have a few forecheckers ready to take their head off to have to make a pass from their backhand or turn and put it back on their forehand. There is just not enough time most of the time. Some can do it but it’s usually not the best setup for success
D are taught to have their body positioned where you can pass either way coming out on your off hand though. You are rotating your body before a forechecker can make you. Youre coming out from the net with your body squared so you can pass either way.
sure, but it’s more natural to have a lefty on the left and a right on the right. I bet you are a pretty good d, and I won’t say that you are not right when talking about yourself. You might be more comfortable off hand but it’s not the norm. The game is so fast, being on the wrong side leads to this And I am not saying it wasn’t a dirty hit but it’s a fucking pain for a defenseman to have to turn his body and not see what is coming at him. If he is right handed he sees kotkaniemi come at him and can protect himself
This is true, I dont play full contact hockey where people finish checks. My mind would probably be different if that was in play.
And these guys on hockey night in Canada are so fucking good. Did not even remember that they saw that the lefty had to turn his body. They are incredible, almost never miss a detail. seriously it’s the best sports broadcast right now, it’s so much better than what the nfl does, even with romo. These guys are so professional and right on cue all the time.
Speaking of top D pairings in the league, hedman and anyone is top 3. These stats with bogosian and shattenkirk are insane.
guys who can move the puck out of their zone fast with a transition are so hard to always see when watching a game. As a goalie you always see it on the ice but on a broadcast it is so unimpressive that nobody cares but it’s so important. Hedman is so good at it
Point is on a bridge which saves them a ton of money. They also have 68 million committed to next years cap and only 10 players signed. The reckoning is coming for them this offseason. If GMs had half a brain, sergechev and Cirelli would both get offersheets. Letting Tampa bridge them would be absolutely idiotic.
you know it will never happen and I am not even sure I want a team here. We would need an incredible coaching staff and the best gm in the league to be competitive. Players don’t want to play in Edmonton or Winnipeg. Imagine Québec city.
I am from here and I would definitely not want to play here as a young millionnaire athlete, and French is my first language. montreal i could easily fuck with, but I understand why some don’t want to play in mtl...well I think I understand
and that is a mental disorder I have, you can ask me any player In the league or any player I ever played against and I know if they shoot left or right. i am a freak for that, and my gf could change the color of the walls in our house and i would not notice. I notice the curve of every player and where they like to shoot and I remember it and take it away
Bad memories right here for me. Vermette was impossible to stop on a clean breakaway. He would always come like he does on the video and either push it further on his backhand and slide it between your legs. And I am a shitty goalie so I never gave him that easy shit, he just shot it with his backhand under my glove and over the pad. The hands on this are fucking hilarious, can’t even imagine what Kane would’ve done to me back then
Best two players I have ever seen on a breakaway were vermette and Pominville, these dudes were unreal. Pretty sure their nhl % is pretty good. it was such a nightmare trying to stop them, these fuckers come in head up and just waiting for a hole. But they also have a move to open you up and a counter if you take away the low blocker. It’s really almost impossible to stop these assholes Pominville has the best hand I have ever seen, simply stupid. Vermette had good hands also and was a better skater, Lombardi was by far the best skater I have ever seen. And Alex ryatsantsev is the hardest shot I have seen. Also ridiculous. I got a little lucky in my only year in junior, played with and against a lot of good players and brad Richards also destroyed me, what a player but still not the same hands on him or skating ability. Just unbelievable hockey sense, always a step ahead
This is the slide between the legs I meant dude is impossible to stop with it, his timing is so good that you fall behind the play it opens you up...and if you do not open up (which is very rare) he will just backhand it over your left pad.
And Ribeiro is crazy talented, also played against and with Beauchemin. Not overwhelming but clearly a pro hockey player.
Jo girard also was incredible, he was a first round pick for the bruins but got into a bad car accident. He was an absolute beast
Team could if it trades Domi. Doesn’t make sense though with Romanov, Edmundson and Chiarot locked in.
My friend is exactly the same. Borders on autism. I have to think about who a player plays with and use hockeydb almost every time, while he’ll remember which side Aaron Asham shoots from without blinking.
From The Athletic Well, according to sources, Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and Meehan have discussed various term lengths — five, six, seven and eight years — but there are other forms of structure. One form is believed to be a no-movement clause, which the Blues have none of on their roster and which Armstrong has been vehemently opposed to giving out in the past. Another is believed to be a signing bonus in Year 7 or 8 of a long-term deal, which would give Pietrangelo some protection by guaranteeing him a cash payout in the event of a buyout. Asked about the Blues’ offer and the specific structure in the deal, Pietrangelo said, “You can talk about money all you want and dollars, but there’s more to a contract than the actual number, and there’s a lot that goes into the discussion of how you want a contract to be done. I’m not going to confirm or deny any numbers; it’s just we clearly weren’t able to get to a number that we thought was appropriate on both sides.”
the difference between hockey players and baseball/basketball/football players for the most part. Those sports’ stars more often than not love the spotlight. Hockey players for the most part are the opposite. The insane parity that the NHL offers also makes it easier to pick a smaller market.
It's the Stanley Cup Finals and a guy in his home who is 4-5 seconds behind the action is calling the games.