AROUND THE LEAGUE - 25-26

[donlever]

...just can't make those trades soon enough eh Expat?

Flames 4
Islanders 2

We lose tonight you're 9 up on us with even GP....

[BCExpat]

Anderson to Vegas for 2027 1st, conditional 2027 2nd, Whitcloud and Weibe. Meh return, but if it helps the Flames get closer to the basement of the standings, then I’m good with it

[Picker of Cherries]

I really like Anderson. This move could really help the Flames catch the Canucks. Damn!

[donlever]

...so for the Flames to "catch" the Canucks would require Vancouver to win 5 more games than Calgary the balance of the year.

This is our next 9 pre-Olympic break.

We have lost 10 in a row...I don't see a lot of wins in that group of games.

We could easily be double digit points "ahead" in 32nd with 25 games left post break necessitating a major win streak to fail.

Screenshot_20260118-173542_theScore.jpg (41.4 KiB) Viewed 272 times

[dbr]

Replacing Andersson with Whitecloud isn’t nearly as big of a downgrade as some AHL call-up even if they do have upside. Hopefully that helps the Flames play less abysmal hockey and hopefully, take a few more points the rest of the way.

[Madcombinepilot]

Replacing Andersson with Whitecloud isn’t nearly as big of a downgrade as some AHL call-up even if they do have upside. Hopefully that helps the Flames play less abysmal hockey and hopefully, take a few more points the rest of the way.

Hopefully they have the ‘post trade’ bump and rattle off 4 in a row.

[Nuckertuzzi]

Wolf gives them, or should I say us, the upper hand.

[BCExpat]

Well I’m resigned to the fact that the Canucks will finish lower than the Flames. Would be funny if the Flames won the lottery draft

[Meds]

Well I’m resigned to the fact that the Canucks will finish lower than the Flames. Would be funny if the Flames won the lottery draft

If Vancouver and Calgary are within 3 spots of each other, guaranteed the Flames pick higher than Vancouver.

[JelloPuddingPop]

Wolf gives them, or should I say us, the upper hand.

Certainly when compared to our Non-Demko goaltenders.

Though Wolf had a rocky start to Jan, giving up 4 goals a game, and an L in 4 straight starts - hopefully his win again the Isle sparks a run.

[Cornuck]

NHL suspends Bryan Rust 3 games for hit to the head on Canucks’ Brock Boeser

[JelloPuddingPop]

NHL suspends Bryan Rust 3 games for hit to the head on Canucks’ Brock Boeser

Wow, NHL stepped up on that one. Nice!

[UWSaint]

NHL suspends Bryan Rust 3 games for hit to the head on Canucks’ Brock Boeser

There's no objective length to a suspension; a sort of common law (ideally) builds up over time.

So while that hit is worthy of 3 games in a world where repeat offenders are getting 5, fact is that Player Safety really seems to have been increasingly lenient in both identifying illegal hits and their suspensions. Rust has a fair complaint this is excessive for the hit in comparison to others (though I welcome it as a new standard for hits like this), and that anything more than a game is a bit of a surprise.

While not stated in the Player Safety video, I think there were 2 other aggravating factors.

One, Rust was not penalized, and if he were, there's no in game deterrence. I think I'd favor a convention (maybe even rule) that there will be a game added to any suspension for a violation occurring in the final 2 minutes. I think there is a similar convention for after the whistle/game violations, and I tentatively think you should have one where there score is 3 or more goals separating the teams if in the final period. Reason is that winning (in addition to fines and suspensions) deters some of the reckless play, but in certain game situations, putting your team shorthanded will no longer act as a deterrent (I'm thinking of Garland, wrestling and sitting on McDavid at the end of a game this year or last when the Oilers had their goalie pulled). What's more, major penalties that come with a match (as Rust's should have) mean the player is kicked out of that game -- that's another meaningless deterrent when the game is at the end.

Related to that, you want to create a disincentive for guys to solve the end-of-game-scrambles-in-the-crease from head hunting. Because otherwise, was there anything else Rust could have done that would have been more effective in ensuring the most dangerous player in that situation was eliminated?

Two, Rust's motion into Boeser was thrusting up (and his feet left the ice with, but not before, impact). It was a "take off his head" mechanic, though principally the shoulder and not the elbow.

[Cornuck]

I'd be in favour of those conventions you list, as long as they are hard and fast rules (which you indicate they should be). Anything to add some more protection to players.

[dbr]

I think their public statements have acknowledged or at least implied the inverse - if a players gets a match penalty early in the game he is kinda/sorta considered to have served a game already