2025-2026 NHL Offseason

polaris_x

who the cuss do I cheer for? ... as a life long suffering leaf fan - i usually cheer for the other canadian teams (even the habs and senators - call me a fraud) ...

FoxyRedLa

F Me In The Brain

polaris_x said:

who the cuss do I cheer for? ... as a life long suffering leaf fan - i usually cheer for the other canadian teams (even the habs and senators - call me a fraud) ...

I would say the Kings but you probably blame us (blame Janet!) for The Great One leaving.

Perhaps the team with the most Canadian born players?

This is a wholly unscientific survey using ESPN/NHL.com.
The biggest issue with this survey is that some teams have more players listed on their roster due to injuries. (Example the Kings had Jordan Nolan (St. Catharines, Ontario) who is injured and will not play in the playoffs....and some teams listed 4 Goalies, as if they would ever carry that on their official roster heading into playoffs.)

So these numbers are suspect.

Nonetheless, here you are:

Islanders 18
Panthers 17
Blues 16
Ducks 15
Flyers 15
Kings 14 (13 I can say will be in the lineup tomorrow for opening game)
Stars 14
Sharks 13
Wild 11
Preds 11
Rangers 11
Penguins 11
Caps 10
Blackhawks 10
Red Wings 8
Lightning 8


I know this is the first year that Canadian born players officially made up less than 50% of the players in the NHL...but how the hell can a team with 8 Canadians on it expect to win the cup?

Sorry to Wings and Bolts fans, but you are toast.

polaris_x

F Me In The Brain said:

polaris_x said:

who the cuss do I cheer for? ... as a life long suffering leaf fan - i usually cheer for the other canadian teams (even the habs and senators - call me a fraud) ...

I would say the Kings but you probably blame us (blame Janet!) for The Great One leaving.

Perhaps the team with the most Canadian born players?

This is a wholly unscientific survey using ESPN/NHL.com.
The biggest issue with this survey is that some teams have more players listed on their roster due to injuries. (Example the Kings had Jordan Nolan (St. Catharines, Ontario) who is injured and will not play in the playoffs....and some teams listed 4 Goalies, as if they would ever carry that on their official roster heading into playoffs.)

So these numbers are suspect.

Nonetheless, here you are:

Islanders 18
Panthers 17
Blues 16
Ducks 15
Flyers 15
Kings 14 (13 I can say will be in the lineup tomorrow for opening game)
Stars 14
Sharks 13
Wild 11
Preds 11
Rangers 11
Penguins 11
Caps 10
Blackhawks 10
Red Wings 8
Lightning 8


I know this is the first year that Canadian born players officially made up less than 50% of the players in the NHL...but how the hell can a team with 8 Canadians on it expect to win the cup?

Sorry to Wings and Bolts fans, but you are toast.

ever since 99 decided it was cool to pimp for our fascist ex-prime minister I decided he'd be better off wearing the stars and stripes ... hahaha

might see how the playoff pool draft goes at lunch to decide ...

MayDay10

polaris_x said:

who the cuss do I cheer for? ... as a life long suffering leaf fan - i usually cheer for the other canadian teams (even the habs and senators - call me a fraud) ...

Im in the same boat. Usually I default to one of the Western Canadian teams... or even sometimes Montreal in the East...

I think I am pulling for St. Louis. Longest cup 'drought', having never won it (not counting Minnesota but they would be tied and not counting the Leafs who won it as St Louis was born). Long time franchise without much playoff success but good regular season success.


Plus, I picked them in my pool

Mignelli14

MayDay10 said:

polaris_x said:

who the cuss do I cheer for? ... as a life long suffering leaf fan - i usually cheer for the other canadian teams (even the habs and senators - call me a fraud) ...

Im in the same boat. Usually I default to one of the Western Canadian teams... or even sometimes Montreal in the East...

I think I am pulling for St. Louis. Longest cup 'drought', having never won it (not counting Minnesota but they would be tied and not counting the Leafs who won it as St Louis was born). Long time franchise without much playoff success but good regular season success.


Plus, I picked them in my pool

Youre in the same state as the rangers man what gives! Lol
I may have to wear my Lundqvist jersey tonight - into the home of a penguins cup winning goalie. Should go over well

F Me In The Brain

Mignelli14 said:

MayDay10 said:

polaris_x said:

who the cuss do I cheer for? ... as a life long suffering leaf fan - i usually cheer for the other canadian teams (even the habs and senators - call me a fraud) ...

Im in the same boat. Usually I default to one of the Western Canadian teams... or even sometimes Montreal in the East...

I think I am pulling for St. Louis. Longest cup 'drought', having never won it (not counting Minnesota but they would be tied and not counting the Leafs who won it as St Louis was born). Long time franchise without much playoff success but good regular season success.


Plus, I picked them in my pool

Youre in the same state as the rangers man what gives! Lol
I may have to wear my Lundqvist jersey tonight - into the home of a penguins cup winning goalie. Should go over well

Barrasso?

MayDay10

I hate the Rangers and any NYC sports team. Used to have a soft spot for the Islanders but that left with their move to Brooklyn

Mignelli14

F Me In The Brain said:

Mignelli14 said:

MayDay10 said:

polaris_x said:

who the cuss do I cheer for? ... as a life long suffering leaf fan - i usually cheer for the other canadian teams (even the habs and senators - call me a fraud) ...

Im in the same boat. Usually I default to one of the Western Canadian teams... or even sometimes Montreal in the East...

I think I am pulling for St. Louis. Longest cup 'drought', having never won it (not counting Minnesota but they would be tied and not counting the Leafs who won it as St Louis was born). Long time franchise without much playoff success but good regular season success.


Plus, I picked them in my pool

Youre in the same state as the rangers man what gives! Lol
I may have to wear my Lundqvist jersey tonight - into the home of a penguins cup winning goalie. Should go over well

Barrasso?

Frank Pietrangelo. His son's one of my good buddies

F Me In The Brain

Ahhh, The Save, I forgot all about that.

lukin2006

FoxyRedLa said:

Honestly. Look at the Leafs....they came in what last in the Atlantic division - had he stuck with the Wings he'd be headed back to the playoffs again. Does that mean Babs should be canned...? Doesn't seem realistic to me and he was obviously sought after.

Well I would think through the lengthy negotiations between Toronto, Buffalo and Babcock they spent a lot of time discussing philosophy's and him and Toronto must have come to an agreement that a complete tear down and moving of expensive contracts was what was needed...he signed an 8 year deal, hardly think he's going anywhere for at least 5 years.

mrussel1

So here's a question: Has there ever been a Cup champion with a European captain? I heard Don Cherry once say that you can't win with a European. He was talking about Ovie at the time. So I started wracking my brain and he may be right.

So yeah, the Caps are toast. But NOT the Bolts. We have experience now, at least, if not our best scorer and 2nd best blue liner.

Edit - just got notice that Ryan Callahan will play tonight. Not that he's a huge threat but still..

Mignelli14

^ Nik Lidstrom. Only one I can think of right now

mrussel1

Mignelli14 said:

^ Nik Lidstrom. Only one I can think of right now

Think you're right. I forgot about the 08 cup. I think he would have been captain then, post Stevie.

HesCalledDyer

Mignelli14 said:

^ Nik Lidstrom. Only one I can think of right now

Zdeno Chara as well. And Charlie Gardiner (1934 Blackhawks) was Scottish born but his family moved to Canada when he was a kid.

mrussel1

HesCalledDyer said:

Mignelli14 said:

^ Nik Lidstrom. Only one I can think of right now

Zdeno Chara as well. And Charlie Gardiner (1934 Blackhawks) was Scottish born but his family moved to Canada when he was a kid.

Damn that Don Cherry... I was thinking about Euro captains rather than Cup champs.

Although you must have looked up that Charlie Gardiner right? You didn't just have that knowledge handy?

MayDay10

lukin2006 said:

FoxyRedLa said:

Honestly. Look at the Leafs....they came in what last in the Atlantic division - had he stuck with the Wings he'd be headed back to the playoffs again. Does that mean Babs should be canned...? Doesn't seem realistic to me and he was obviously sought after.

Well I would think through the lengthy negotiations between Toronto, Buffalo and Babcock they spent a lot of time discussing philosophy's and him and Toronto must have come to an agreement that a complete tear down and moving of expensive contracts was what was needed...he signed an 8 year deal, hardly think he's going anywhere for at least 5 years.

Yup. It was well laid out that he has a number of years and clout in building the team. Both the Sabres and Leafs were offering similar situations... the Leafs probably a year behins the Sabres... but the trump card was the Leafs were more willing to blend him into the front office. The Sabres/Tim Murray werent willing to do that.

Babcock has a number of years before he is questioned. Whether or not they admit it, the goal for this season was to finish 30th. Babcock had a pretty depleted/out of it NHL squad playing admirably in the last 2 months. Thats all you can ask for. Next season, almost without trying they will see a points improvement. Year 3 they will need to improve on that (and should by then). Year 4 will be when playoffs could be expected. Fail by Year 4/take steps back and people in toronto will begin to question the Shanahan/Lamariello/Babcock regime. So maybe a hypothetical hot-seat at that point, into Year 5.... so I would say after the 5th season would be the earliest I could see Babcock go.

Just saw the Leafs have almost a 50% chance of picking 4th overall due to the new lottery system. IMO thats bull shit.

polaris_x

MayDay10 said:

Just saw the Leafs have almost a 50% chance of picking 4th overall due to the new lottery system. IMO thats bull shit.

what don't you like about that?

MayDay10

Finishing last and having the best chance to pick 4th. Doesnt seem right. Usually there is a huge drop between 1 and 4... This year is a good example. Dont like the Leafs, but Id be pissed.


IMO they should just do a 3-year rolling average. No lottery, and you cannot pick 1st more than once in any 3-year span.

HesCalledDyer

mrussel1 said:

HesCalledDyer said:

Mignelli14 said:

^ Nik Lidstrom. Only one I can think of right now

Zdeno Chara as well. And Charlie Gardiner (1934 Blackhawks) was Scottish born but his family moved to Canada when he was a kid.

Damn that Don Cherry... I was thinking about Euro captains rather than Cup champs.

Although you must have looked up that Charlie Gardiner right? You didn't just have that knowledge handy?

Yeah I was double-checking to make sure it was just Lidstrom & Chara and found his name. I may be a Hawks fan, but I'm not that well-versed!