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2023-24 NHL Misc. Thread

On this episode of Sportsnet’s “32 Things” podcast, Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman discuss the Canes’ front office situation just before the 20-minute mark…


View: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/32-thoughts-the-podcast/id1332150124?i=1000656899811

In summary, they think that Tulsky will get the job but that someone with more experience interacting with other teams (a big strength of Waddell’s) may be brought in, with Chuck Fletcher’s name being thrown out. The reality is that Dundon makes the big decisions with input from the committee that has included Waddell, Tulsky, York, and the rarely-mentioned Aaron Schwartz, and that is unlikely to change.
 
Again, while I respect Friedman as a reporter, like a lot of the NHL media, I don't think he's ever had a working understanding of how Dundon REALLY operates, or values the way he operates. Just filter everything he says about Carolina's front office through that lens and you're onto something.

One thing I appreciate him throwing out is that Dundon actually liked the dynamic with Waddell serving as an elder statesman/front man for the front office, and he might well end up simply replacing Donny with somebody similar. That's the line of thinking with Fletcher, I think. I honestly don't think a guy like Fletcher would give this market or this ownership the time of day, but some other old hand might. I know one thing for sure. Dundon will look at a LOT of options both because it matters that much and just because that's the kind of guy he is.
 
Seattle is promoting Dan Bylsma from AHL Coachella Valley to be their head coach. His last NHL head coaching job was with Buffalo in 2016-17. He spent 3 years as an assistant in Detroit and 1 as an assistant in Charlotte when the Kracken shared with Florida. He’s been head coach in Coachella Valley for 2 years.
 
In a league so notorious for recycling coaches, I always thought it was weird that Bylsma hadn't gotten another job in the league. Yeah, he was a system guy in Pittsburgh more than anything else, but I thought he did a respectable job with a badly constructed Buffalo team after that. He ran into issues with Eichel, but later on that turned out to be more about Eichel losing faith in the organization than it had to do with Bylsma specifically. So while this feels like more Ron Francis caution, just promoting his AHL coach, it makes sense to me. I understand that Ronnie was also considering Ryan Worsofsky, but having passed him over maybe the Canes can get him back as their AHL boss since they have to hire up staff for the Wolves. I like that guy.
 
So, Dallas stormed from behind to take Game 3 in Edmonton last night. Robertson's hat trick brought them back from the impersonation of road kill they pulled in the first period when it looked like they might get run out of the barn. The 2-1 lead for the Stars puts the series back on serve.
 
jeffbear said:
In a league so notorious for recycling coaches, I always thought it was weird that Bylsma hadn't gotten another job in the league. Yeah, he was a system guy in Pittsburgh more than anything else, but I thought he did a respectable job with a badly constructed Buffalo team after that. He ran into issues with Eichel, but later on that turned out to be more about Eichel losing faith in the organization than it had to do with Bylsma specifically. So while this feels like more Ron Francis caution, just promoting his AHL coach, it makes sense to me. I understand that Ronnie was also considering Ryan Worsofsky, but having passed him over maybe the Canes can get him back as their AHL boss since they have to hire up staff for the Wolves. I like that guy.
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Hopefully the bridge with Warsofsky isn’t burned. Maybe not having to answer to 2 masters will be enough to get him back.
 
andyt said:
Hopefully the bridge with Warsofsky isn’t burned. Maybe not having to answer to 2 masters will be enough to get him back.
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It's my understanding that he parted on good terms with the Canes, but was ready to try to build his experience with an NHL assistant job. Sadly, he landed in that mess in San Jose, so ... yeah. He's looking around again.
 
Waddell’s title in Columbus is President of Hockey Operations, GM and alternate governor.

In other Canes alumni news, Jared Staal has been named head coach of the ECHL Savannah Ghost Pirates. They're affiliated with Vegas. He was an assistant with Charlotte for the last 2 years and was an assistant for ECHL Orlando from 2019-22.
 
Florida got game 4 in OT. Not sure sticking Wheeler back in was the best idea for Lavy, as it made that 4th line an unplayable mess. Plus, it was a Wheeler penalty that got Florida the PP chance that finished the game. Not that it was his fault. Zibanejad made a sloppy pass that got picked off. Through 4 games it's safe to say that Barkov is just killing the Rangers' balance. That Zibanejad/Kreider line has been invisible and Barkov has been running absolutely wild on them. Florida should have run away with that one, but Shesterkin kept NY in the game. 2nd game in a row where the Rangers ended up below 20% on Money Puck's deserve to win-o-meter ... and they came out of that set with a split.
 
After starting the playoffs with 5 consecutive regulation wins, the Rangers have won only once in regulation in the next 9 games. Over that span they are 1-3 in regulation and 4-1 in OT. That doesn’t seem sustainable, although they only need 6 mores Ws so it’s possible they could hang on to that recipe for a little while longer and come out with a championship. It’s been done, but not often.
 
Oh ... also, I'd love for somebody in the league office to explain why the call in OT wasn't a penalty shot. Barkov was alone behind the D and got the stick/hands slashed to the point he lost contact with the puck at the top of the crease. It was more of a bang/bang than most of those, but by the book that should have been a penalty shot. Florida scored pretty much right away so it doesn't really matter, but still ... let 'em explain the thought process on that stuff.
 
I LOLed at the estimated 5 years $6.774 million AAV for Turbo and 5 years $4.1 million for Chatfield. Yes the cap is going up but it's not going up by $20 million
 
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