The Vegas Golden Knights have relieved Bruce Cassidy of his duties as head coach

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Heard rumblings of this being in the works but I never believed it. Less than 36 months removed from a Stanley Cup title. I just don't get the firings in hockey. This just seems super premature, but you never know if there were major personality conflicts in the Front Office of sports franchises. One thing is for sure, GM Kelly McCrimmon does things HIS way and watch out if you find yourself on the wrong side of that.

Cassidy has a history of not being beloved in the locker room and he particularly did not often play younger players, which I find frustrating as someone who pays attention to the young prospect pool.

I guess Tortorella will be entertaining at the microphone if nothing else.
 

Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
Heard rumblings of this being in the works but I never believed it. Less than 36 months removed from a Stanley Cup title. I just don't get the firings in hockey. This just seems super premature, but you never know if there were major personality conflicts in the Front Office of sports franchises. One thing is for sure, GM Kelly McCrimmon does things HIS way and watch out if you find yourself on the wrong side of that.

Cassidy has a history of not being beloved in the locker room and he particularly did not often play younger players, which I find frustrating as someone who pays attention to the young prospect pool.

I guess Tortorella will be entertaining at the microphone if nothing else.
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Apparently if you take Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final, it buys the HC only 1 season.

Gallant after taking the Expansion VGK to the Final in 2018, was also sacked less than 2 seasons later.
 

Ope3 said:
Apparently if you take Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup Final, it buys the HC only 1 season.

Gallant after taking the Expansion VGK to the Final in 2018, was also sacked less than 2 seasons later.
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No doubt, they can be absolutely ruthless. Firings after a few seasons in hockey are nothing new. Gallant had very well-known disagreements and arguments with the VGK Front Office, they didn't need much of a reason to let him go.

In this case, the way Boston let him go weeks after Boston set the NHL record for points in the NHL regular season, that at least indicates that Cassidy is prone to not endearing himself to upper management. Most people couldn't believe Boston let him go after that season.

 






Ope3 said:
Torts a breath of fresh air?!?
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Who knows what the heck is going to happen.

The VGK have two glaring issues during this recent 40-50 day slide; poor goaltending, and some incredibly poor shooting. The coaching change isn't going to change poor goaltending.

Hate to use the cliche, cop-out explanation of "puck luck" but at the end of the day, it can be real. The statistics say they've had plenty of scoring chances, high danger chances, etc but over the last 15-18 games, Vegas is 32nd in the NHL in shooting percentage a paltry 8.5%. At some point, the puck should start going in the net.

The only thing that matters is how you are playing from April 1 to April 15th or so when the playoffs start.

The goalie situation is so up in the air it's ridiculous. Adin Hill has not played well (looking like one of the first real bad contracts this Front Office has signed), Akira Schmid, backup, has statistically played much better, but has never shouldered the load as a #1 and has not been great.

And then there's the Carter Hart factor. Not only is he allegedly healthy enough to play any day now, but he also played his best hockey under Torts in Philly and Torts loves him. I think he's too rusty to start thinking about making him the #1 goalie for a playoff run but stranger things have happened.
 



Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
Who knows what the heck is going to happen.

The VGK have two glaring issues during this recent 40-50 day slide; poor goaltending, and some incredibly poor shooting. The coaching change isn't going to change poor goaltending.

Hate to use the cliche, cop-out explanation of "puck luck" but at the end of the day, it can be real. The statistics say they've had plenty of scoring chances, high danger chances, etc but over the last 15-18 games, Vegas is 32nd in the NHL in shooting percentage a paltry 8.5%. At some point, the puck should start going in the net.

The only thing that matters is how you are playing from April 1 to April 15th or so when the playoffs start.

The goalie situation is so up in the air it's ridiculous. Adin Hill has not played well (looking like one of the first real bad contracts this Front Office has signed), Akira Schmid, backup, has statistically played much better, but has never shouldered the load as a #1 and has not been great.

And then there's the Carter Hart factor. Not only is he allegedly healthy enough to play any day now, but he also played his best hockey under Torts in Philly and Torts loves him. I think he's too rusty to start thinking about making him the #1 goalie for a playoff run but stranger things have happened.
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For whatever reason, seems to have coincided with a post-Olympic break funk.

Wild are trudging through that as well to a degree, along with the goaltending. The Wild have been in a unique situation in that it's been a foregone conclusion that they were going to face off with the hated Dallas Stars in the 1st Round since Christmas, at least. The only drama was whether or not they would have Home Ice, now that has been settled as well. Locked (pretty much) into the #3 seed.
 

Ope3 said:
For whatever reason, seems to have coincided with a post-Olympic break funk.

Wild are trudging through that as well to a degree, along with the goaltending. The Wild have been in a unique situation in that it's been a foregone conclusion that they were going to face off with the hated Dallas Stars in the 1st Round since Christmas, at least. The only drama was whether or not they would have Home Ice, now that has been settled as well. Locked (pretty much) into the #3 seed.
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Neither Dallas nor the Wild are exactly ramping up for postseason action. In their last 10;

Dallas 3-5-2
MN WIld 4-5-1

Never fails, it will come down to how teams can get it together in these last 2 weeks of the season.

I've found myself wondering the level to which some folks around the NHL fanscape would lose their ever-loving minds if Carter Hart happened to take the VGK on a postseason run. Heads would explode...
 


Ope3 said:
Dog days of March.
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Well, nothing says "Get Right Game" quite like having a home game against the Vancouver Canucks to open the month of April. Wild are a whopping -400 favorites against the worst team in hockey tomorrow night.
 



Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
Well, nothing says "Get Right Game" quite like having a home game against the Vancouver Canucks to open the month of April. Wild are a whopping -400 favorites against the worst team in hockey tomorrow night.
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Even as heavy favorites, I would still be skittish of taking the puck line. Almost every game for the Wild seams to go to OT or is a 1 goaler.

The rush of getting an Empty Net cover score is pretty cool though.
 

Ope3 said:
Even as heavy favorites, I would still be skittish of taking the puck line. Almost every game for the Wild seams to go to OT or is a 1 goaler.

The rush of getting an Empty Net cover score is pretty cool though.
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I'll top that rush by not only having that EN goal make the puck line but when you have Boldy (or insert player) to have 3 SOG and that EN goal is his 3rd SOG. I think I had that happen with Timo Meier a week ago or so. Woo Hoo!

I know, I know, you have to be a serious degenerate gambler to be betting NHL shots on goal but what the hell, I enjoy the data analysis, what teams give up high SOG to RW, C, Defenseman, which players have been shooting more in their last 4-5 games, and players that have good spreads of SOG between home games and road games.
 

Ope3 said:
Even as heavy favorites, I would still be skittish of taking the puck line. Almost every game for the Wild seams to go to OT or is a 1 goaler.

The rush of getting an Empty Net cover score is pretty cool though.
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Oh, and Vancouver coming in for the tail end of a back-to-back after Colorado (likely) thrashes them tonight. Put every dollar you have on the Wild ML!!!
 

Ogie Ogilthorpe said:
Oh, and Vancouver coming in for the tail end of a back-to-back after Colorado (likely) thrashes them tonight. Put every dollar you have on the Wild ML!!!
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The Avs did beat the Canucks, but not a thrashing. Needed an Empty Netter to win 8-6 (and cover the puck line).

Sets up perfectly for a Wild OT or Shoot out victory tonight.

EDIT - All wrong. VAN won, misread on my part and thanks to Slim for pointing out the Error of my ways.
 
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Ope3 said:
The Avs did beat the Canucks, but not a thrashing. Needed an Empty Netter to win 8-6 (and cover the puck line).

Sets up perfectly for a Wild OT or Shoot out victory tonight.
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Wrong, sir...VAN pulled out the 8-6 win even after giving up four (4) straight goals in the 3rd to the Avs. Boeser, Ohgren, Rossi and Buium all had very good games.
 

Slim Tubby said:
Wrong, sir...VAN pulled out the 8-6 win even after giving up four (4) straight goals in the 3rd to the Avs. Boeser, Ohgren, Rossi and Buium all had very good games.
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Holy crap, my bad. I trusted Ogee that it would be a beat down, did not even pay attention who actually won. ;)

Thanks for the correction.

All bets are OFF for tonight at the X for the Ws.
 
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