The Official 2024-25 Season Talk Thread

[Majingir]

As is often the case, this is all the Leafs' fault.

In their defense, they've only been responsible for 6 of the last 7 eastern cup finalists.....

[Psyblast]

So are the Oilers ready to try and get serious about their defense/goaltending, or nah?

[Psyblast]

"To win it twice in a row is almost impossible!"

Yes. Well. This is now the third instance in the last 10 years, so.

[slickdtc]

That’s gotta be the earliest I’ve seen a team celebrate / opposing team stop playing. There was like 20-25 seconds left lol

Congrats to the Panthers. Ugh I hate em but it’s hard not to respect it when they’ve been doing this for 3 years now

[Majingir]

Since the 04/05 lockout and the implementation of the hard cap, 17 of the 20 cup winners didn't rank in the top 10 salaries (Pens in 16-17 and Caps in 18 are the only ones to have a high salary and win).

Obviously lots of factors go in to this, but the fact that Bettman is like "nobody had a problem with this issue before the Panthers were good", and ignores how much the entire cap system has benefited lower taxed states and lower salary teams is ridiculous.

[Fiddy]

Good to see the Oilers are still tied with the Pens with 5 Stanley Cups won. LOL.

Wild though.

Pens, Hawks, Kings, Lightning, and Panthers with multiple cups since 2009. The standard dang it!

McDavid going to look good along side 87 in Pittsburgh in a year or so.

[Majingir]

Good to see the Oilers are still tied with the Pens with 5 Stanley Cups won. LOL.

Wild though.

Pens, Hawks, Kings, Lightning, and Panthers with multiple cups since 2009. The standard dang it!

McDavid going to look good along side 87 in Pittsburgh in a year or so.

Leafs for sure would go all in for McDavid next year if he hits free agency (too bad Marners deal wasn't over next year. Wonder if Leafs would've thought of a Marner+ for McDavid kind of proposal).

But the way the NHL works, he'll probably wind up hidden in San Jose or Carolina or something.

[DrJones]

Leafs for sure would go all in for McDavid next year if he hits free agency (too bad Marners deal wasn't over next year. Wonder if Leafs would've thought of a Marner+ for McDavid kind of proposal).

But the way the NHL works, he'll probably wind up hidden in San Jose or Carolina or something.

It's not a conspiracy! NHL players want to play where they can win and make a ton of cash, preferably with nice weather and non-toxic fans and media.

Edmonton checks off 2 of the 4, other Canadian teams can meet one of those at best. The Oilers lost not because Gary Bettman hates them; they lost because a series of disastrous and short-sighted roster moves left McDavid and Draisaitl having to hard carry a bad defence and the worst goaltending tandem (for a serious Cup contender) in decades. Corey Perry was Edmonton's 3rd best forward. Skinner or Pickard would've been the worst Cup-winning goalie in history. That's not the NHL's fault. Yes, Canadian teams face some disadvantages, but terrible ownership/management is the biggest culprit. Rantanen would've gladly gone to Edmonton or Toronto, but since both teams give away NMC and 1st rounders like candy, they had no tradeable assets with which to acquire him.

If McDavid ever leaves the Oilers, it'll be a KD-to-Warriors move (or a Bourque-to-Colorado move if he leaves after his next contract). He'd be nuts to go to Toronto or any other Canadian team.

[DrJones]

Good to see the Oilers are still tied with the Pens with 5 Stanley Cups won. LOL.

Wild though.

Pens, Hawks, Kings, Lightning, and Panthers with multiple cups since 2009. The standard dang it!

McDavid going to look good along side 87 in Milan in a year or so.

FTFY! (10 char)

[slickdtc]

I wish the Flyers weren’t toxic to free agents of note. We do swing and connect once a decade or so. Feeling due. Give me the guy with the monkey on his back to go to the team with a gorilla on its back strangling it.

Michkov scores 100 goals if they ever play together. Lol