2022/2023 NHL/Wild Offseason-Season-Postseason Thread

Ripjiggen wrote:

Still here and still think the same.
Would rather see Rossi in that role.

Don’t egg Joe on bruh!

icex wrote:

Man you guys are surly tonight! Reavo is just wrecking people to show Bizz what he’s in for after Bizz was jamming him up in the pre game interview.

They’ve been going after each other lately. On the last Chicklets cast Biz was talking about if they set up a fight after Reaves retires he wants him to be forced to take drug tests monthly before the fight.

Sorry..

Haha.

Lol, Reaves trying to snipe lower left in the empty net.

He’s no Ovi…

No love for Gustavson? He’s been fantastic. Joe’s fascination with Rossi takes away from other players stellar play.

CaptainMusky wrote:

No love for Gustavson? He’s been fantastic. Joe’s fascination with Rossi takes away from other players stellar play.

He’s been this good all season, the difference is not giving up soft goals anymore..

Gus was good. Thought pretty much all the D played well. And obviously strong games by Fred and Steel.

Did Walker get hurt? Don’t think he was out in the third. Played like 6 minutes.

Walker was out there 5-5, too many Power plays and Penalty kills

Bizz was jacking up Reaves in the pre game interview about not asking him a question until he scores his first goal of the season. After missing that empty netter Bizz is really going to be riding him now!

Keep scoring, Dumba! Increase that trade value!!!

fishinfreaks wrote:

Keep scoring, Dumba! Increase that trade value!!!

Ha!

Sounds like Hartman is going to play Friday… why does this feel like a re-injury about to happen?

Yeah timing definitely odd.
Will be interesting where they slot him first game back.

Lotta chatter around the Reaves hit on Hronek today, obviously wasn’t going to be a suspension but some fans clearly don’t like it. I have no issue with it as those north-south hits are never suspended even if there is head contact. Trouba had like 5 of them last year including Crosby in the playoffs. I do think we’ll see rule changes in the next couple years to get rid of those hits. Maybe something similar football with defenseless receivers, IDK. It’s essentially going to be a “you hit that guy too hard” penalty and will drive everyone nuts the first couple years.

It’s more rules that make the game softer but I think it’s hard to argue personally. Those hits cause concussions almost every time and concussions end careers and can really mess up quality of life post career.

I will admit, if Reaves would have done this to someone on the wild I would have been furious, but in reality it was a clean and legal check. Reaves said that Hronek made eye contact with him before the hit. Who was the D man from Detroit who did this literally every game?

I agree with you, it will eventually turn into the Defenseless player call the NFL has….there will be tons of penalties called early on, but eventually players will get used to it and start to hold up on huge hits…it will be tougher for hockey to do, just with the speed of the game, but players will eventually evolve…

I think the kneeing penalty is a good example of that type of rule change. In the old days those kneeing plays happend all the time, then in the late 90’s they came down hard on it and nowadays you still see them happen, but 99% of the time it’s just due to the speed of the game vs being completely intentional…

CaptainMusky wrote:

Who was the D man from Detroit who did this literally every game?

You’ve been Kronwalled! (Nicklas Kronwall) Although he would hit you with his backside ala Rob Blake…

Those hits were typically just brutal as he would gather so much speed into the hit…Refs should have given him a charging penalty as he typically always left his feet…He and Blake always got a pass because they hit with their backside…

Kronwall had so many massive hits that his name is a verb but the thing that’s absolute wild is he somehow ended his career with ZERO fights. He never dropped the gloves after those big open ice hits, his gloves were superglued on. I’m honestly surprised no one ever Marty McSorely or Todd Bertuzied him.

tswoboda wrote:

Kronwall had so many massive hits that his name is a verb but the thing that’s absolute wild is he somehow ended his career with ZERO fights. He never dropped the gloves after those big open ice hits, his gloves were superglued on. I’m honestly surprised no one ever Marty McSorely or Todd Bertuzied him.

I think it’s just a mental thing from him hitting guys with his backside, almost like they think it’s not as dirty that way and the player who got hit should have known better?? like how big hip-checks along the boards rarely start fights..He’s also European, so they all know he’s not going to drop the gloves, so why try…I’m sure McCarty had to answer the bell the next shift or two afterwards alot of times…

The good old fashioned Curt Giles hipcheck is a thing of the past. It was always so effective though. I see SPurge do it every now and again, but its really rare.

CaptainMusky wrote:

The good old fashioned Curt Giles hipcheck is a thing of the past. It was always so effective though. I see SPurge do it every now and again, but its really rare.

Keith Ballard was the last guy who did it routinely, he had some great ones…

Yeah a lot of guys a ripping the hit. I will say however if you watch it close not sure what Reavo could do to avoid what happened. The guy literally skated right into a brick wall. Still have no idea what the hell he was doing or thinking.

I think part of the reason people are pissed is because it was Reaves.
Kind of one of the reason I am not a big fan of him, but people are mad because it literally the only thing he has in his game. Outside of fighting.
If that would have been a skilled player that layed the hit let’s say Boldy, I don’t think people would be nearly as mad.

I am still going to defend Reaves on this one however as the guy literally skated right into him and well Reaves is a big boy.

I don’t like taking big hits out of the game but don’t like seeing guys get knocked out either. Guys are just so fast and big now.

Ripjiggen wrote:

I think part of the reason people are pissed is because it was Reaves.

This. Reaves doesnt have the dirty reputation that someone like Wilson does however. At least to my recollection anyway.

He has been suspended 3 times so he’s not an angel. I think it’s more his game or so called game or lack of game. Wilson at least pots 20 goals or so a season. Not saying I am a fan of either.

Wilson definitely has skill that is for sure. He’s be a helluva player if he would just clean up the dirty stuff.

Wilson is the reason Reaves is still in the league

It’s also part of his game to right? Kind of like Reaves. It’s big hits and intimidation. It’s a huge part of both there games. If they didn’t bring that part then neither would probably be in the NHL.
They are more or less like the vilain in wresting. No matter what every fan from every team that they don’t play for hate them. It’s a reputation that you have to carry if you are that type of player.

tswoboda wrote:

Wilson is the reason Reaves is still in the league

I would agree with that. He was brought to the Rangers for one reason only. The Ironic part is they never fought. Then again Wilson never went nuts again either so maybe it worked.

FYI there is a nice writeup about Bankier by Scott Wheeler in the Athletic if youre looking for something time filler.