Archive for the ‘10 Thoughts’ Category

Thoughts on Thoughts: Hockey socks and safety

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts on Feb 19, 2013

Boston Bruins v Ottawa Senators

“Thoughts on Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

Last edition: P.K. Subban eyes bigger payday (from a few weeks ago, apologies on the gap)

Friedman’s column, February 19th: Hockey socks and safety

Opening:

In this week’s opening, Elliotte Friedman makes the completely rational argument that team owners should be allowed to dictate some mandatory measures in terms of the safety of their equipment. It wouldn’t be that hard to require players to wear cut-proof socks or safer goalie masks (there is no world where a guy would claim “I’d have been an NHLer had it not been for those darn cut-preventing socks“). If the arguments for safety don’t appeal to the players, he makes another awfully good point: more injuries means more players getting NHL paychecks which means higher escrow which means guys make less money. Players shouldn’t just want to keep themselves safe, they should want their brethren to be doing the same, as it has financial benefits.

The PA has fought the NHL to keep their freedom of choice when it comes to gear. But as @67sound said on Twitter….

Well, I think @67sound is missing the point that… the um, point that… hmm. Good point, actually.

On to the thoughts. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thoughts on Thoughts: P.K. Subban eyes bigger payday

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts on Jan 29, 2013

“Thoughts on Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

Last edition: Jamie Benn and “The Unsigned Three”

Friedman’s column, January 29th: P.K. Subban eyes bigger payday

Opening:

Elliotte’s opening this week was on P.K. Subban’s new contract, and what it means for him and the Habs going forward. My initial reaction to the Subban numbers was semi-shock. As in, “I need to figure out what I’m missing here, because he’s obviously worth more than that,” and it was Friedman’s piece that has taken me to where I feel like I have a comfortable grasp of the situation.

How I see it:

In a nutshell, the Canadiens and Subban are going to be negotiating a new, sizable contract during this calendar year. His “two year deal” essentially means that he doesn’t make a (comparative) ton over the next three-months-or-so of the 2013 NHL season (you don’t get paid in playoffs), then suddenly it’s the 2013-14 season and you have a stud d-man in the final year of his RFA deal that you should negotiate with before the year is up. It’s basically eight or nine months before these two sides will be back at the table talking nickels.

So, in the short-term, The Canadiens have no salary cap problems because Subban isn’t playing for a ton. The second year of the deal is for $3.75M, so if the Canadiens want to qualify him, they have to at least start there. And assuming he’s played at-or-near expectations without sustaining a major injury, they’re going to lock him up for a long time, likely into multiple unrestricted free agency years. Subban could be (as Friedman puts it) the second highest-paid player on the team before we know it.

So yes, he’s underpaid right now. But he doesn’t miss a year of salary, doesn’t kill the Canadiens, doesn’t form a rift with the organization….it’s just a really smart deal all around. I’m impressed.

3. Many of you have asked about offer sheets. As one GM (not one quoted elsewhere in this blog) said: “If Nashville is going to match that offer to Shea Weber, what the [bleep's] the point of  doing one?” He added that some of the vulnerable teams are getting increased revenue sharing under a new CBA, giving them even more incentive to match — with your money.

Maybe I’m missing something here, after the “with your money” add on, but isn’t the idea with an offer sheet, especially to the Habs in their current situation, that “we either get a really good player for our picks, or we put their team in salary cap hell?” Weakening your opponent can be as good as getting better. I understand now (thanks to Patrick Burke last week) that effing over a fellow GM can result in repercussions down the road, but still, to act like there would be no benefit to slapping a team like Montreal with an offer sheet seems disingenuous to me. I’m still learning the front office side though, so let me know what I’m missing here if you like. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thoughts on Thoughts: Jamie Benn and “The Unsigned Three”

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts on Jan 22, 2013

“Thoughts on Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

Last edition: Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf take priority on Ducks

Friedman’s column, January 21st: Jamie Benn and “The Unsigned Three”

Opening:

Friedman’s opening in this week’s 30 Thoughts was what he mentioned in the title, “The Unsigned Three.” The impression I got reading this was that Benn will sign before long, nobody has a clue about Ryan O’Reilly and the Avs, and the PK Subban/Canadiens situation needs to get remedied and quick before it gets ugly.

The main sentence that stood out to me was about how the Avalanche do business. Friedman:

The Avalanche operate in secrecy, so it’s hard to predict what they are going to do. When they dealt Chris Stewart, many other teams didn’t know he was even available.

Am I crazy, or is that one of the stupidest ways to conduct business, even if you like what you can get coming back your way? How do you know what you can potentially turn assets into if you don’t run it by the most teams possible? Plenty of people would’ve given up a good piece for Chris Stewart at the time.

***

2. For example, as the Edmonton Oilers locked up Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, did they do it with an wary glance at Sabres GM Darcy Regier? Ever since Thomas Vanek, I’ve wondered if Regier’s been waiting for the chance to even that score. (Sources say he’s got an owner who likes to spend).

Read the rest of this entry »

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Thoughts on Thoughts: Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf take priority on Ducks

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts on Jan 14, 2013

“Thoughts on Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

Last edition: (Who cares it was about the lockout and you’re free from that now!)

Friedman’s column, January 14th: Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf take priority on Ducks

Opening: Friedman’s opening was on Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, both of whom are going to need new contracts and quick if the Ducks want to keep them from hitting the free market, where they would undoubtedly be offered wheelbarrows full of money.

The one thing I don’t really follow about the Ducks current situation is how often I hear that Bobby Ryan is available, yet Perry and Getzlaf are these immovable pieces, true Anaheim Ducks through and through. Why is he the odd man out there? Hell, why is anyone? Ryan has scored more than 30 goals in each of the last four years, and is two years younger than the other two stars. If I’m, say, anyone, I’d be falling all over myself to steal Ryan from the Ducks. I’m convinced this guy deserves more love (and if I were him and the name constantly in trade rumours, I’d want them to pull the trigger ASAP).

3. Interesting development on the first day of Washington Capitals practice as Alexander Ovechkin lined up on right wing. Rookie head coach Adam Oates told reporters that the captain suggested the idea in a head-to-head meeting and believes the responsibilities of his defensive system will make it easier on Ovechkin to play there. I’m intrigued to see this. It’s certainly time for a diversification of his game.

I’ve never heard of one wing being more or less difficult than another outside of the left wing lock, but okay…this should be interesting. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thoughts on Thoughts: NHL could call in NBA lockout fixer

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts on Dec 11, 2012

“Thoughts on Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

Last edition: Harding has kindred hockey spirit in Sigalet

Friedman’s column, November 29th: NHL could call in NBA lockout fixer

Opening:

Friedman opened this week by introducing us to Jim Quinn, the man who stepped in to help the NBA avoid torching their season. The NBA, like the NHL, went through mediation and failed. The NBA, like the NHL, had its players move towards decertification. And similarly, everything was coming undone, and then for the NBA: Quinn.

I know no more about the apparently effective gent than you guys (here’s his bio), all I know is I’m in favour of any solution, even if that involves bringing in Voldemort, Kelsey Grammer and the Iron Sheik to get it done. I really don’t care, so I vote that somebody calls Quinn. I miss hockey, and he seems like he could help.

***

1. A lot of feedback from my Ron Hainsey blog, but it should be pointed out that not every player involved in the negotiations is having similar things said about them. Kevin Westgarth is getting a ton of media attention and, when his career is over, he’s going to have some options. His work on the pension issues, opposite Murray Edwards, was said to be very impressive.

If you haven’t read that Hainsey blog, you should really go do that. For my money, it’s the most interesting thing I’ve read in the past month on the lockout. Basically, there are rumblings that Ron Hainsey will be blackballed from the NHL after his conduct during the negotiations, which is to say, he’s been a bit more forthright than the owners would prefer. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thoughts on Thoughts: Harding has kindred hockey spirit in Sigalet

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts on Nov 29, 2012

“Thoughts on Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

Last edition: Season of growing discontent

Friedman’s column, November 29th: Harding has kindred hockey spirit in Sigalet

Opening:

Friedge came at us with the rare “double whammy” opening. Part one was on Josh Harding’s situation. Wednesday night he shared the terrible news that he’s been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. A quick explanation of that, from Mike Russo’s post in the Star Tribune:

[Multiple sclerosis is] an incurable autoimmune disease in which the body randomly attacks and eats away the protective lining of his nerves and causes them to scar. It causes problems with balance, fatigue and blurred vision. There are 25,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States every year.

“I had a couple days where I felt bad for myself, but no more,” said Harding, who plans on continuing his career. “There’s things in life that happen. Sometimes you can’t explain it. You deal with it.”

Friedman discussed Jonathan Sigalet, former Bruins prospect and Bowling Green alumni who found himself in the same situation a number of years ago. Both goalies, both diagnosed with MS.

As someone who has MS in the family, this story kills me. The good news is that Sigalet, now the goalie coach for the Abbotsford Heat, stresses that if you’re just honest with yourself about when you need rest, and don’t allow yourself to overheat too much, it can be manageable.

Harding sounds ready to fight, and I’m rooting for him. Read the rest of this entry »

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Thoughts on Thoughts: Season of growing discontent

Posted by Justin Bourne under 10 Thoughts on Nov 19, 2012

Owner Ed Snider shakes player Sean O'Donnell's hand, because players and owners are besties in non-CBA years.

“Thoughts on Thoughts” is a feature that looks at Elliotte Friedman’s terrific weekly post “30 Thoughts.” Justin Bourne selects his 10 favourite tidbits, and elaborates.

Last edition: Holding the line on contracts

Friedman’s column, November 19th: Season of growing discontent

Note: There’s just not much breaking news in the world of the NHL these days, so Elliotte pared this week’s edition down to 20 Thoughts to keep it strong. I’ve selected to comment on less for the same reason.

Opening:

In today’s opening Elliotte kicked around the idea of frustrated players and owners speaking out against their current sides. The risk for the owners is huge – a  million dollar fine, and Bettman’s general disdain, which could affect their ability to get all-star games, inclusion in the Winter Classic and more. But then there’s this, on the players: Read the rest of this entry »

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