NHL 2023-2024

[technomancer]

That was pretty typical for this season sadly. Beat the Canucks, outplay the Kracken and Flames and still lose.

EDIT: yep, playoff hopes on the line, lose 2 games they should have won and then get annihilated by the Oilers. This coming weekend should be fun with a back to back against the Bruins and Oilers...

 

[technomancer]

The worst part of this may be that the Pens traded their first round pick in the draft this year, so tanking isn't even going to get them anything.

Watching people's reactions to the idea of trading Guentzel is interesting too. Everybody seems to take for granted that the Pens can sign him and he shouldn't be traded... but what if wants 8 years at $10 per? Or what if he's just flat out not interesting in signing long-term or doesn't want to sign at all?

 

[JD27]

Only the Caps could get blown out of the rink by a team with 1 win in the last 15 games. After coming back and beating the Flyers 5-2, they were like, “Just kidding, we still suck.” Against the Coyotes. It’s going to be a “Sell, Sell, Sell” kind of week.

Maybe even more surprising than Kuznetsov getting waived, is that he is actually going to report to Hershey. I believe that makes him the highest paid player in AHL history.

Hershey Bears announce Evgeny Kuznetsov will take part in practice on Tuesday morning

Evgeny Kuznetsov will officially take the ice as a member of the Hershey Bears on Tuesday morning. The Capitals' AHL affiliate announced…

russianmachineneverbreaks.com

 

[technomancer]

Wow I figured he would head for the KHL... guess he wants to stay here and is hoping he can get it back together.

 

[eaeolian]

Wow I figured he would head for the KHL... guess he wants to stay here and is hoping he can get it back together.

He's gotta stay close to his coke dealer.

 

[technomancer]

Comedy: another team ahead of the Pens in the standings fired their coach. That's either 2 or 3 this year, I forget which.

Ruff is out in Jersey.

 

[AdamMaz]

Wow I figured he would head for the KHL... guess he wants to stay here and is hoping he can get it back together.

I would have guessed a reconditioning stint.

 

[technomancer]

In other comedy Nylander had his first NHL hat trick last night against Vegas... a couple days after the Pens traded him to the Bluejackets

 

[JD27]

I would have guessed a reconditioning stint.

He showed up and actually looked happy to be there.

 

[technomancer]

Hey and Phillips is a Capital again

 

[ElysianGuitars]

He showed up and actually looked happy to be there.
View attachment 139787

I'd be ecstatic to be the highest paid AHL player in history too

 

[technomancer]

WTF Eller moved from third line center to first line left wing and O'Connor (who hasn't played center since college) is now the third line center

I am starting to think Sullivan just has a lottery ball machine with the player's numbers and pulls most of the positions at random.

 

[AdamMaz]

 

[JD27]

And the fire sale begins… At least they got a 2nd and a 4th. Couldn’t give him away for a used bag of pucks and roll of tape last season. Put up 20g so far in a contract year and he wasn’t resigning with the Caps, no interest from either side for that.

Mantha traded to Golden Knights by Capitals for 2 draft picks | NHL.com

Forward has 34 points in 56 games, can become UFA after season

www.nhl.com

 

[AdamMaz]

And the fire sale begins… At least they got a 2nd and a 4th. Couldn’t give him away for a used bag of pucks and roll of tape last season. Put up 20g so far in a contract year and he wasn’t resigning with the Caps, no interest from either side for that.

Mantha traded to Golden Knights by Capitals for 2 draft picks | NHL.com

Forward has 34 points in 56 games, can become UFA after season

www.nhl.com

He was in our rumor mills for months, glad Hughes didn't bite.

The bar has been set! Behold, THE gold standard of all dump ins! (skip ahead to 0:45)

Perfect shot

 

[AdamMaz]

Trade deadline really took off today.

No movement on goalies, so there is still hope that we can move Allen. There are a lot of contracts/players I feel we still need to shed for our rebuild, but that is the one I would most like to see go at this time. He was very good for most his time with us these past few years, but this year has been an anomaly performance/result wise. I think he still has a few good years in him and hope he finds a team that appreciates him as a backup, especially going into the playoffs.

 

[technomancer]

Still waiting to see who the Pens move... rumors indicated they wanted to move Guentzel by today, but nothing so far.

 

[technomancer]

Well given Guentzel turned down 2 contract offers I can't really complain about this trade even though I want to. My only comment is if Guentzel ends up signing for less than $10mil Dubas should be fired for taking this.

It sounds like they got a decent winger in Bunting, several guys that will likely never see the NHL, a second round pick and a fifth. Smith was clearly never going to get NHL play time under Sullivan so he's not a relevant loss at this point. Downside is this did not make the team better in any way. The prospects don't look like guys that will make an impact and Bunting is definitely not close to the caliber of player the Pens gave up.

Penguins Acquire Forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and Conditional 2024 First-Round and Fifth-Round Draft Picks from the Carolina Hurricanes in Exchange for Jake Guentzel and Ty Smith | Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and conditional 2024 first-round and fifth-round draft picks from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Jake Guentzel and Ty Smith. Bunting is signed through the 2025-26 season and his...

www.nhl.com

 

[JD27]

Well given Guentzel turned down 2 contract offers I can't really complain about this trade even though I want to. My only comment is if Guentzel ends up signing for less than $10mil Dubas should be fired for taking this.

It sounds like they got a decent winger in Bunting, several guys that will likely never see the NHL, a second round pick and a fifth. Smith was clearly never going to get NHL play time under Sullivan so he's not a relevant loss at this point. Downside is this did not make the team better in any way. The prospects don't look like guys that will make an impact and Bunting is definitely not close to the caliber of player the Pens gave up.

Penguins Acquire Forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and Conditional 2024 First-Round and Fifth-Round Draft Picks from the Carolina Hurricanes in Exchange for Jake Guentzel and Ty Smith | Pittsburgh Penguins

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired forwards Michael Bunting, Ville Koivunen, Vasily Ponomarev, Cruz Lucius and conditional 2024 first-round and fifth-round draft picks from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Jake Guentzel and Ty Smith. Bunting is signed through the 2025-26 season and his...

www.nhl.com

Saw that report during the game last night. Caps and Pens both in the “In need of serious rebuild” phase now. I wonder if he just wasn’t interested in being a part of that? I keep seeing crazy rumors of Crosby leaving too, but I find that pretty hard to believe. Just like Ovi and the Caps, I’m not sure I could ever see him playing elsewhere.

 

[JD27]

Wow, Kuzy to Canes for a 3rd and 50% salary retained by Caps. He was on the trip to Charlotte with the Bears, wonder if they just decided it was best to leave him there?

Kuznetsov traded to Hurricanes by Capitals | NHL.com

Washington receives 3rd-round pick for forward, who was assigned to AHL this week

www.nhl.com