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goaliekisses · 11 months

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woof juicy news day for us pens fans. not only do we have sidney crosby’s Seduction of kyle dubas, now we have this article on Why Hextall Sucks (and how he pissed off even sidney crosby) + some angsty Geno details that i will only relish now that he’s still with us:

Early last summer, at his spacious home in Montreal, Kris Letang finally saw the document that secured his future in Pittsburgh.

No stranger to the multi-page, standard player contract, this one was particularly special. It was his fourth, and probably his last. It contained specific elements Letang and his agent required. One line read “six years.” Another read “$36.6 million.” The line that Letang really loved?: “full no-movement clause.”

Together, those words recommitted Letang and the Penguins, the only NHL franchise he had ever known. At 35, he would finish his career in Pittsburgh.

As word spread last July 7, Letang’s phone blew up. The flood of well-wishers included teammates past and present, various Penguins personnel he’d befriended over his previous 16 seasons, and family and friends. He took only a few calls. Among them: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, his oldest and dearest teammates in Pittsburgh, who were thrilled for him.

Crosby, the Penguins captain and franchise icon, had made it clear to general manager Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke as far back as the 2021 offseason that he wanted the team to re-sign impending free agents Letang and Malkin so the three veterans and lifetime Penguins could take another shot at a Stanley Cup together.

Would Crosby pressure ownership to sign Malkin and Letang? “I’ve never wanted to be GM,” Crosby said. “I think they know how I feel.”

While the negotiations with Letang took longer and were more difficult than expected, Hextall’s discussions with Malkin had turned dark. Only days before the start of free agency last summer, Letang, Crosby and coach Mike Sullivan worked overtime trying to calm Malkin, who was stewing over lowball early contract offers, limited communication with Hextall and veiled public shots from Burke.

“How bad is it?” Letang asked Crosby about the state of Malkin’s emotions and the negotiations.

“Pretty bad,” Crosby said.

Hextall first irritated Malkin late in the 2021-22 season by offering a short-term contract extension to his agent, J.P. Barry. In the offseason that animosity built as weeks passed without a follow-up conversation from Hextall. On June 17, Hextall told Barry that the team’s offer was “take-it-or-leave-it,” and the next day Burke used those words to characterize the negotiations during multiple media interviews. Not surprisingly, Malkin, a sure Hall-of-Famer, went from annoyed to insulted.

For weeks leading up to and after Letang’s deal was finalized, Malkin stewed at home while Crosby, Letang and Sullivan checked in with him from afar. With no deal in sight, Malkin began speaking to his small inner circle as if his time with the Penguins was concluding.

Hextall fielded daily questions from Fenway Sports Group brass about why Malkin hadn’t yet been re-signed. Hextall was also taken aback by the barrage of calls and texts — from Penguins alternate governor Dave Beeston, from Crosby and Sullivan, from president of business operations Kevin Acklin — after reports surfaced that Malkin would test free agency. He told his agent he wanted to “show Hextall and Burke” by trying the open market.

Malkin had joked during the ’21-22 season that he was “a rich guy,” insisting he didn’t need to worry about money on his next contract. He was having a laugh, but was also somewhat serious. He had taken less than market value on two previous deals with the Penguins and expected that trend to continue on his final NHL contract.

He was about to turn 36. He wanted to play until he was 40. He sought a contract with a no-trade clause. But more than money, he needed the Penguins to show they really wanted him, something he felt was lacking, especially from Hextall. By July 11, 2022, Malkin was convinced he’d already practiced in Cranberry for the last time.

After tucking in their son, Nikita, Malkin and his wife, Anna, sat on their leather couch and looked at a summary sheet of Hextall’s latest offer: four seasons, $24.4 million total, a full no-movement clause.

Malkin was fine with what he read. The sticking point was his bruised feelings.

“They not think I good player,” Malkin wrote in a text message to Crosby.

“They not want me,” Malkin texted to Letang, who had stepped up efforts to console Malkin after signing his deal.

Malkin wanted to stay in Pittsburgh, but he no longer trusted either Hextall or Burke. Crosby and Sullivan intervened. Each spent hours on the phone with Malkin as July 11 became July 12. Careful not to tell him what to do, Crosby and Sullivan implored Malkin to “not worry about those guys” — Hextall and Burke — when making a final decision. Letang, too, jumped into the mix. Together, two-thirds of the Big Three and their coach brought up every special moment, funny story and great time they could remember to remind Malkin what they had built in Pittsburgh. Malkin paced from room to room at his condo in Fisher Island, finally beginning to feel wanted again.

As early morning shifted to late afternoon, Malkin had heard enough to make a decision. He called his agent, Barry, with instructions to re-engage with Hextall and take the offer. Upon calling, Barry was surprised to find a receptive Hextall.

After hanging up with Barry, Hextall bragged to his assistant GM, Chris Pryor, and a handful of staffers, that he “got him on my terms — that’s how you negotiate.” Malkin informed Crosby, Letang and Sullivan that he was staying. When talking to Crosby and Letang, Malkin sounded happy for the first time in a long time.

“We win next year,” Malkin told his friends. “Big year get back Cup.”

also these bits 🥺

After McGinn was put on waivers, he played a memorable final game with the Penguins, blocking shots and setting up Crosby for a dramatic tying goal in the third period. In the locker room afterward, his soon-to-be-former teammates named him player of the game, eliciting a massive roar from the group that could be heard through closed doors.

Hextall traded Teddy Blueger during the same trip. In the middle of a dinner with the players’ fathers, arranged by Crosby at Bern’s Steakhouse in Tampa, Blueger learned via social media that he had been dealt to Vegas. He and his dad abruptly left the restaurant. Crosby rushed to console his now former teammate and after a few minutes returned to the dinner. “That’s not how we do things in Pittsburgh,” he said. Crosby remained mostly quiet the rest of the night.

…Long after most of their teammates had left the locker room after the demoralizing 5-2 defeat, the Big Three remained.

Malkin was emotional, his voice rising as he spoke. He had been dreaming of his beloved parents, Natalia and Vladimir, returning to Pittsburgh for another postseason run. Instead, they’d stay in Russia.

Letang, in the adjacent corner of the room, spoke thoughtfully and contemplatively. He had been through hell and back all season, and the Penguins’ loss was another blow.

Then there was Crosby, who sits at the center of an arc of connected lockers. The Penguins captain, with gray hairs that seemed to grow more plentiful throughout the season, sat stoically. After finishing interviews, Crosby sat by himself, staring straight ahead before slowly walking out of the locker room.

sorry need to add the header too because i would totally watch this telenovella

#wowwwwwww #i just… the teddy detail really slayed me #sidney crosby #evgeni malkin #kris letang #teddy blueger #pittsburgh penguins

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annieqattheperipheral · 5 months

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you have to read this in full!!

i gotchu from behind the $wall:

The day Luke Prokop shook the hockey world by coming out, he needed to get away.

And stop looking at his constantly buzzing phone.

It was July 21, 2021, and the right-shot defenseman had just become the first openly gay hockey player under an NHL contract. The Nashville Predators’ No. 73 pick in the 2020 draft was just 19 years old and hadn’t even turned pro yet. He didn’t know how it would impact his future. His nerves were fried.

But one text message was impossible to ignore. He didn’t recognize the number but certainly knew the name.

“Hey, it’s Auston Matthews. I wanted to congratulate you. I look forward to sharing the ice with you someday.”

Prokop was blown away. The Toronto Maple Leafs superstar wasn’t the most famous person to reach out — that honor goes to Elton John — but the fact that so many NHLers, including one of the league’s best and most powerful players, were offering support meant a lot.

Now 21, Prokop still hasn’t taken the NHL ice, but on Wednesday he took a step forward, being recalled by the Predators’ AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. He could become the first openly gay player to appear in an AHL game Friday night for the Admirals in Rockford.

As difficult as the decision to come out was, Prokop told The Athletic in an extended conversation recently that he’s been mentally and physically freed by it. He doesn’t have to hide. He can be himself, on and off the ice. Heck, he can even date.

“It’s been massive,” he said.

Teammates and fans have welcomed him in his journey toward the NHL so far, from Calgary, Edmonton and Seattle of the junior WHL to, most recently, Atlanta of the ECHL. They treated him like he was any other player.

Not that there’s not room to grow. Prokop figured more players would come out after he did. They haven’t, not that he would rush anyone’s decision on that. He’s also been disappointed by the developments over the past few years with the NHL’s inclusion efforts, including the Pride tape “debacle.”

He can only control his own actions, though, and doesn’t regret his decision.

“I’d like to think I’m a realistic person,” Prokop said. “I know hockey is not going to be forever. As much as (when I came out) I would have loved to keep playing, I was OK with not playing any more if it didn’t work out — just being able to live my life the way I wanted, to be myself.

“But now, I don’t want to stop playing. It was definitely nerve-wracking. You never know what the reaction is going to be inside hockey, outside hockey, because no one has done it before. We kind of went out on a limb and hoped for the best. It’s been way more positive than we thought it’d be. You’re going to have some keyboard warriors, which there were a few, but I was expecting more.

“I did not expect the amount of support I got from NHL players. That was really cool.”

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The Matthews text and Elton John phone call the morning after were memorable, with the gay rock legend welcoming him to the community and offering his email address if Prokop ever needed anything.

Prokop found even more comfort in a moment that came a few days later — the first time he played hockey since his announcement. It was a four-on-four league in Edmonton at Meadows Rec Center, a place where pros and NHLers competed and kept in shape during the offseason.

Prokop was on a team with Colton and Kirby Dach. The other team had Philadelphia Flyers goalie Carter Hart and the Boston Bruins’ Jake DeBrusk. During warmups, Prokop found himself near mid-ice. The first guy to approach him was DeBrusk. The two had met previously through mutual friends. DeBrusk tapped Prokop’s shin pads with his stick.

“Congrats,” he told him. “I’m really happy for you. If you need anything, let me know.”

“I didn’t know what the reaction would be,” Prokop said. “So that meant a lot.”

Prokop was returning that year to the Calgary Hitmen (WHL), the junior team he had played for the previous four seasons. But there had been a lot of turnover on the roster and, of course, a lot had changed for Prokop. So he decided to address the team in its first meeting in training camp.

“Everyone knows what I did last summer,” he told his team. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. There might be a lot of media asking you for an interview. If you don’t feel comfortable, you don’t have to do them. If you have any questions for me, come ask me. I’m an open book. I just don’t want you guys to feel uncomfortable.”

In that dressing room, Prokop had heard plenty of the uncomfortable language that’s not uncommon for any locker room. He even admitted using it. He didn’t want to out himself. He wanted to act straight, be “one of the guys.”

“I heard it, but it wasn’t all the time,” he said. “I also took it from the perspective that these guys don’t know any better. It’s hockey language. It’s how guys talk. They don’t mean it in a harmful way. They use the word ‘gay’ as a filler at the end of a sentence to make something stupid. ‘Well, that’s so gay.’ I wasn’t comfortable with it, but I used it myself. I didn’t want to seem like I was out of the mix.

“Some guys texted me (after I came out), ‘F—, sorry if I said anything to offend you when we played.’ I’d just say, ‘Guys, you had no idea.’ The lesson is you don’t know what everyone is going through. The words you say do matter. Make sure you think before you speak. It’s a silly rule you learn in kindergarten. It applies to life when you’re 22 or 35 and never goes away.

“The way hockey is going with the language, guys are naturally changing their language. I’ve heard a change in language on every team I’ve been on.”

Prokop said that season was the best of his career, both from a production standpoint and a personal one. He was traded to the Edmonton Oil Kings early in the season and had 10 goals and 33 points in 55 games for them, helping them win the WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup and advance to the Memorial Cup.

Luke Prokop won the WHL’s Ed Chynoweth Cup with the Oil Kings in 2022. (Courtesy of Oilers Entertainment Group)

Luke Pierce, then an assistant coach for Edmonton and now the head coach, said the staff and management had discussions with the leadership group before acquiring Prokop — making sure they were comfortable with it, feeling out whether their room could handle the attention. Pierce said he asked one of the captains, Blues prospect Jake Neighbours, for his perspective. Neighbours had known Prokop since they were 10 or 11, growing up playing in spring tournaments together. He told Pierce and the staff there would be “zero issue” and he’d be a great addition.

Neighbours said nothing really changed, that Prokop “fit right in” to the team. Pierce at first wondered if players would have any issue with rooming assignments on the road, but nobody blinked. Pierce noted that Prokop would joke about situations and even opened up about his boyfriend coming to visit.

“He put everybody at ease,” Pierce said. “I often tell people, if the outside world could see how the group of men interacted, it would be just a tremendous inspiration on how we should treat everybody.”

Pierce and Prokop pointed out how this generation is more comfortable and equipped to handle LGBTQ+ inclusion issues. Everyone seems to know someone, be friends with someone, or be related to someone in the community.

“I just don’t think guys really care anymore,” Prokop said. “They might be nervous as they have this stereotype version of what a gay guy might look like, sound like, act like. Like me, coming to a team, they think I’ll act a certain way, look a certain way, but they’ll realize three minutes into talking to me that I’m not that.

“Hockey is part of me. It’s who I am. Guys totally forget (about me being gay) when I’m at the rink. They’re not afraid to ask questions. But other than that, it never really comes up. That’s how I wanted it to be. I wanted them to know, but we can all go out and play. I never wanted to be a distraction.”

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The NHL’s decisions around Pride jerseys and stick tape weren’t a distraction, Prokop said, but he has gotten frustrated about it.

He understood the issue over wearing sweaters during warmups — “jerseys weren’t really their choice” — but lamented that the fact the focus was on the handful of players who refused to wear them and not all the others who did. The NHL’s initial banning of Pride stick tape, then its reversal, was a whole other topic.

“To take away choices from players was really confusing,” Prokop said. “Some of them don’t really care. For some, it was near and dear to their heart. To take it away was mind-boggling. From the players’ side, the support was there. Zach Hyman talked about it, Travis Dermott. I like what they did. They didn’t make a big deal about it before — they just did it. Let fans see the rest, and it’ll take care of itself. There’s a massive amount of support from players in the NHL.”

What do the Pride tape and sweaters mean for someone in the LGBTQ+ community?

Prokop didn’t recall noticing them growing up going to Oilers games. He never got to see someone who was gay using Pride tape on the TV screen. He had to deal with it himself — “jump over those barriers without any help.” But Prokop continued pursuing his hockey career whereas “a lot of people don’t feel comfortable pursuing their career without that exposure, without feeling like they’re being seen.”

“I think with the Pride tape stuff, they were trying to show support for their older fans,” Prokop said of the NHL. “The fans that have been watching hockey for 40-50 years. That’s not how you grow the game. You want to get the younger generation, put these guys in the best situation to promote the game. Sometimes I don’t think the NHL does that the correct way. The Pride tape is one example.”

Prokop has been part of two Pride nights since he came out, one with the Edmonton Oil Kings and another with Seattle. The Oil Kings staff approached him after not having that event on their promotional calendar. They planned it in two weeks and it was a big hit, with around 8,000 fans in attendance.

“Some guys told me it was the most impactful game they’d been in during their career,” Prokop said. “They said they didn’t realize how many Queer fans they had. I don’t think they realize how much my community watches hockey, plays hockey and cares about hockey.

The Seattle Pride night was fan-driven, which made it unique. Thunderbirds fans noticed that other rival teams had a special night for Pride and made a push for their own, making bracelets and T-shirts. Prokop told teammates they didn’t have to wear the stick tape — he knows how superstitious hockey players are. They all wore some, for him.

“I always look at the perspective, the other side of Pride nights — why do you have them if no one on the team is gay?” Prokop said. “The point is that it’s for the fans. For me, it means a lot to play in them to show my community and be a representative on the ice.”

While education is important, Prokop said any real change in the NHL when it comes to inclusion will start with other players coming out. He’s not putting any timeline or pressure on that. He didn’t have one. But that’s when players in the league will see a different perspective, get more comfortable with it.

“Otherwise, it’s always going to be a story,” Prokop said. “I also can see why guys don’t want to come out. Especially in the NHL. They’ve been very successful, so why change? I kind of saw that from the perspective when the whole Pride jersey story came out. My phone was blowing up. I don’t think guys want to have to deal with that. There was a responsibility for me to talk about these topics. I don’t think guys want to do that. I can see it from that side, why they don’t want to come out.

“I don’t think anything is going to change unless someone else does. Someone else will step up. It’s only a matter of time. I thought there’d maybe be two, three of us by now. But it hasn’t happened. But I know there’s going to be someone else soon. It’s math. There’s what, 700 players in the league? There’s definitely a few more.”

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While there have been some derogatory comments coming from the stands on a few occasions, Prokop has been encouraged there have been none from opposing players.

“Zero,” he said.

Most of the feedback he’s received, even on social media, has been positive. And it’s not just the comments like Matthews’ that stick with him. Two high schoolers in Seattle, Kaitlin and Jo, reached out to him over Instagram. They are part of the LGBTQ+ community and were struggling.

“Like everyone, they just wanted someone to talk to,” Prokop said.

Part of Prokop’s pregame routine is usually to hang by the bench and listen to music. On many occasions, Kaitlin and Jo would come by and the three of them would just chat for 10, 12 minutes. They’re the fans that Prokop saw every game above the tunnel on his way to the dressing room. They’ve stayed in touch. Prokop even did a Zoom meeting with their high school class last month. “They have a special place in my heart,” he said.

When, and if, Prokop makes his NHL debut, he says he’ll have a special secret plan for them.

Whether Prokop lives his NHL dream remains to be seen. He’s praised the Predators for their support from the first time he did a group video call with the staff. Former NHLer Mark Borowiecki, now a development coach, has been someone Prokop has leaned on often, not only for on-ice advice but for help getting through things mentally.

Scott Nichol, the Predators’ assistant GM, likes Prokop’s potential.

“Big right-shot defensemen that can skate, move the puck. They don’t grow on trees,” he said. “He just needs to polish up his game in some areas in the defensive zone. He’s got the tools. He’s got the skating ability. It’s just patience and embrace the process.”

Prokop is grateful for his support group, from his parents, Al and Nicole, to his brother, Josh, and sister, Alanna. He’s kept in touch with Heather Lefebvre, who is a specialist in hockey engagement and alumni relations with the Oilers Entertainment Group. They talk almost every day. What sticks out to Lefebvre is how young Prokop was when he came out (19), and while he wears this “trailblazer” cap, he’s still standing alone.

“I think this generation is more ready for it than past generations, for sure,” Lefebvre said. “It says a lot to me that nobody else has come out in the year and a half since he has. He’s the only openly gay player under NHL contract, but he’s not the only gay player under NHL contract.

“That’s where I think we have work to do. Is it great that he’s been accepted and can do his thing? Yes. But he looks at the positives, which makes me really happy for him. But that doesn’t mean there’s no negative.”

Prokop takes the positives in his off-ice life, too. He lives with Alanna in the offseason back home in Edmonton. He’s found teammates to share in his hobbies, like golf (he plays 40 to 50 rounds a year). He loves to read, from biographies to sci-fi. He watches basketball more than hockey and has more than 25 jerseys. He cooks. He got into puzzles during the pandemic and is bullish about doing them on his own.

Prokop also feels comfortable getting out there on the dating scene and not having to hide it from teammates.

“Obviously, the lifestyle of a hockey player is tough for some people,” he said. “I’m trying to find the right person to connect with. I’m a softie, a romantic guy. I love love. I’m always on the lookout for that right person to spend the rest of my life with.”

Prokop doesn’t see the label of being the first openly gay player under NHL contract as a weight. It’s more of a responsibility. He has a platform and wants to use it. He’s realistic, “dreaming about winning the community service award more than the Norris Trophy.”

Making the AHL jump or someday the NHL jump won’t define him.

“One of my main goals when I came out is that if I could have an impact on one person outside of my family and friends in my lifetime, I’ve done my job,” he said. “I think I’ve done that and more. And I want to continue to do that.”

#luke prokop #auston matthews #jake debrusk #elton john #nashville predators #milwaukee admirals #atlanta gladiators #toronto maple leafs #boston bruins #jake neighbours #st louis blues #edmonton oil kings #calgary hitmen #lgbtq #pride jerseys #pride tape #nhl garbage league

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sergeifyodorov · 4 months

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the alternate universe jeff and mitch yaoi goes crazy. mitch going 4th instead of 5th stopped us from getting giggly handsy cane to cane interviews and bench videos. who is their poor center and can we crowdfund the technology to enter other universes and get that guy a long vacation, or perhaps some noise cancelling headphones

i mean SO crazy like... jeff is like five or six years older than mitch but they have the same dancey skating and Inner Light... a pair of undersized wingers who are both bubbly and silly and like they'd be ALL over each other. jeff (freshly 24 when mitch makes the nhl at 19) would take him in and be all "yeah noooo i'm definitely this guy's SURROGATE PARENT" and mitch would go :3 and be sitting on his lap within the month. and jeff would immediately give up the "surrogate parent" thing like you can't be saying that gay baby. they'd be equal parts "clowns of the league" and "oh fuck not those two again" <- defencemen saying that.

anyway it goes great until they end up doing strome-for-marner in the offseason of 2021

#asks #amatts is born a week early au #mitch marner #jeff skinner #MITCH HAS 2 BECOME A LEAF... guys it's so for real here. written in the stars.

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nicohischier · 11 months

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thoughts on nolan patrick induced brainrot

Oh so many thoughts. All the thoughts. Too many thoughts.

Here’s the thing with Nolan, okay? His story so far has always been fairly synonymous with tragedy. You can argue with that statement if you want, but so much of his career so far just points in the direction of a tragedy, at least in my eyes.

Let me first start this off by telling you that Nolan Patrick can be and has been described by three characteristics: injury prone, second overall, and draft bust. They’re not his only characteristics, but they are the ones used most frequently to talk about him since 2017.

(by the way. this is 2000 words long. so. open with caution?)

Injury Prone – Juniors Version

In his first season after being drafted by the Wheat Kings in the 2013 WHL Draft, he was called up because the Wheat Kings had a lot of their own injuries but he wasn’t able to play during that call up because he had a shoulder injury. In his rookie year the following season, he missed a dozen games with an upper body injury. At the end of his 2015-16 season he revealed that he was suffering a sports hernia he had been playing through. In 2016-17, his draft season, Nolan only played a few games before the Wheat Kings announced that he wasn’t fully healed from the sports hernia and he was out for most of the season (he ended up playing 33 games that season) and missed playing in World Juniors.

Then, after he was drafted, he missed his first development camp with the Flyers because he was recovering from a surgery he had gotten done before the draft.

Despite all the injuries haunting him, he still was a top rated prospect and, fun fact, was actually rated higher than Nico.

Unfortunately, however, the injuries didn’t stop following him just because he switched from the WHL to the NHL.

Injury Prone – NHL Version

He was actually fairly healthy for his first two seasons in Philly. He missed some games in his rookie season after a rough hit, but those were the only games he missed. Again, in his sophomore season he missed a few games but there was nothing super drastic. And then the 2019 offseason came around.

Some time before the 2019-20 season Nolan was officially diagnosed with chronic migraines and he ended up missing the entire season. He might have made a return late in the season, but COVID ended the season early, so we’ll never know. He did play when the 2020-21 season started up but he didn’t perform very well (which isn’t entirely shocking considering he was coming back after a year and a half (?) of not playing NHL hockey and he himself admitted to taking his return a bit more tentatively because he was worried about his migraines).

Then, before the 2021-22 season started Nolan hired a new agent and got himself traded to Vegas (with a pit stop in Nashville for all of five minutes or whatever). He got injured a few games into that season, played a total of 25 games, and hasn’t played a game since the end of that season. Presumably that fact has something to do with injury or recovery but don’t quote me on that.

The point is that while Nolan didn’t deal with the constant yoyoing of injured-healthy-injured-healthy that he was dealing with while in juniors, what he was dealing with after coming into the NHL is ultimately a lot more serious and will have a much larger impact on the future of his career.

Second Overall – The 2017 Entry Draft

I know we were just talking about the NHL but we actually have to drop back to the 2017 Draft and the time just before the draft because this is obviously the keypoint for the ‘second overall’ characteristic.

So, I mentioned that prior to the draft, Nolan was technically rated higher than Nico, which is true. Granted, Nico was rated the second top prospect, so not that much higher, but still. What the important takeaway from this is that the 2017 Draft was genuinely a toss-up between Nico and Nolan. Nico going first generally came down to what the Devils were looking for from their selection (and maybe Nolan’s injury history played a part in the Devils picking Nico instead but I can’t be certain).

Some drafts are more-or-less a guarantee for which prospect is going first (see: 2015, 2016, the upcoming 2023) but 2017 was very much a ??? until the lottery when people could start making speculations about who would most benefit the Devils’ needs.

Anyway, the point is that Nolan was the highest rated prospect going into the draft.

For a solid while before the draft Nolan was considered THE top pick. But then Halifax brought this kid over from Switzerland and he tore up the QMJHL and all of a sudden there was another prospect breathing down Nolan’s neck when it came to FOA consideration.

Ultimately, as we all know now, Nico ended up going FOA and Nolan went SOA to the Flyers.

Obviously going SOA isn’t a tragedy in and of itself but you do have to consider the “what could have been?” if Nolan had gone FOA or if Nico had never come over from Switzerland.

But, to be honest, I’m a huge fan of the general tragedy that haunts SOAs so maybe I’m just focusing way too hard on the SOA part of his story. The reality is that him going second is only a minor blip in the tragedy that is the Nolan Patrick narrative. Him going SOA is just a stepping stone toward the ‘draft bust’ part of his tragedy.

Draft Bust

The facts: Nolan went SOA. He has played 222 games. He has scored 32 goals. He has 77 points. He is prone to injury. He has missed two seasons and is not a guarantee to ever come back.

The other facts: there are some incredible players who are having incredible careers who were selected after Nolan. Just some of those players are Miro Heiskanen, 3rd, Cale Makar, 4th, Elias Pettersson, 5th, Nick Suzuki, 13th, Jake Oettinger, 26th, Jason Robertson, 39th, Stuart Skinner, 78th. And that’s just some of the superstar names. I could’ve also mentioned guys who aren’t superstars for their teams but are almost definitely going to make a career out of being Good and Useful.

(and can we take a minute to appreciate how well the dallas stars drafted in 2017? holy shit.)

Disclaimer: I am not saying that Nolan is never going to come back and turn into a superstar or become Good and Useful. I can only work with what I have in front of me, which is what I’ve presented you with.

The tragedy of this, beyond the fact that he is, at least currently, a draft bust, is that the sheer amount of talent behind him will always be tied to his name. He is never going to be Nolan Patrick anymore and the guys behind him (especially Heiskanen, Makar, and Pettersson) are never going to be themselves. They’re all always going to have their draft order tied to their name. The only difference is that when they speak about Heiskanen or Makar or Pettersson people are going to say they should have gone higher. When they speak about Nolan, they’re going to say he should have gone lower.

I could say more probably (definitely) but I’m already at 1200 words and I did actually still want to talk about the poem even though I don’t expect ANYONE to have read this far LMAO. But on the off chance someone is here because they ALSO have super intense nolpat brain rot… hello. It’s just you and me baby.

The Poem – Frame by Frame (except for the ones I skip)

Frame Two: “it’s the same when love comes to an end” with Nolan facing the camera and the rest of the Flyers facing away, in the background.

Fairly self-explanatory I think, but sometimes OP places the text in specific locations that make my brain explode and I needed to emphasize the importance of specifically putting “when love comes to an end” over the Flyers.

Once upon a time, the Flyers were Nolan’s team and Nolan was supposed to be the Flyers’ future. Their highest draft pick since 2007. Things fell apart and the organization fell out of love with him (did they ever have enough time to fall in love with him?) and he fell out of love with the organization.

Frame Three: “or the marriage fails and people say they knew it was a mistake” over an aerial shot of Nolan over the Flyers logo.

I mean. All you have to do is change some words, right? The draft fails, people say they knew it was a mistake.

Draft bust.

Need I say more?

And the solo aerial shot… because who bears the emotional pain of being a failed top prospect? That former top prospect and no one else. He is alone in his knowledge that he wasn’t good enough and he alone must face the words people say about him in the aftermath.

Frame Six: “like being there by that summer ocean on the other side of the island while love was fading out of him” over a shot of Nolan and some other Flyers on the bench, waiting to give high fives to their teammates.

If I want to overanalyze this I could talk about how ‘the island’ is the Flyers as a team, ‘on the other side’ refers to how he felt distanced from the team or like he was never truly a part of them (because he felt like he was a disappointment?), and ‘while love was fading out of him’ could refer to the fact that Nolan very probably requested his trade out of Philly.

On the other hand, if I wanted to break my own heart, I could talk about how the person whose love was fading out of them is actually the Flyers organization and fans as a vague entity who, once full of love and hope for their first SOA in a decade, were now turning sour on the failed top prospect whose future will probably never stop being shaped like a giant question mark.

But I don’t want to do either, so let’s pretend I said nothing, okay?

Frame Eight: “the stars burning so extravagantly those nights that anyone could tell you they would never last” over a shot Nolan in a celly with the team.

I actually included the lines on Frame Seven to provide context because I, once again, just want to talk about OP’s placement of the words. Specifically the “they would never last” that sort of outlines Nolan’s figure.

If I think too hard about it I will get sad so just take a second to think about how bright a SOA must shine for a fanbase and a team and how much everyone always expects from a high draft pick and then just take a moment to appreciate the beauty and pain in OP outlining Nolan with the words “they would never last” and let’s just all agree to move on so I don’t get even more sad.

Frame Nine & Ten: “I believe Icarus was not falling as he fell, but just coming to the end of his triumph” over a shot of Nolan leaving the bench with TK still on it (9) & Nolan in a celly with the team.

I lumped these two frames because they’re important to go together, right? Not just to keep the full quote intact, but also because it shows that Nolan’s time in Philly wasn’t just a tragedy.

He had guys like TK, who became like a brother to him (at least from the way they portrayed their friendship to the fans) and he had his team who loved him, regardless of the expectations the organization had laid out that he was failing to meet.

I call his story a tragedy, and I genuinely think it is one, but it is probably wrong to reduce it to solely a tragedy. Maybe his time in Philly contributes to the overall tragedy of his story, but on its own? How can I reduce the love he found in Philly to only a footnote in the overarching tragedy?

#i promise i do also actually talk about the poem too. you just have to scroll a bit 😭#i just had to get all the brain rot out first #asked and answered #anonymous #sorry dude idk what happened you just brought up like. a combination of some of the things im most insane about #nolan. the tragedy that is a SOA. the 2017 draft class. ops poems.

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mitchbeck · 4 months

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#BonSecoursWellnessArena #ECHL #GreenvilleSwampRabbits #LosAngelesKings #MaxMartin

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jdminxxx · 7 months

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2023-24 NHL Eastern Conference Playoff Picks

What a fun offseason. The Atlantic and Metropolitan divisions are back after another summer of free agency. The eastern conference hasn’t had a Stanley Cup champion since Tampa Bay’s back-to-back title run in 2021. No one outside the Sunshine State has even won the conference finals since the decade started. Most teams out west look a bit weaker while Metropolitan teams like the New York Rangers…

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ledenews · 7 months

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Wheeling Nailers Re-Sign Forward Cam Hausinger

The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are excited to announce their 16th player signing of the 2023 offseason. Wheeling has re-signed forward Cam Hausinger to an ECHL contract. Hausinger, 24, becomes the fifth player signing this summer who will begin his third season as a member of the Nailers. Cam first joined the team as a rookie in 2021, and enjoyed a terrific season, as he led Wheeling rookies with 21 goals, while contributing 22 assists for 43 points. The forward shined the brightest during the playoff push, as he scored two goals in the clinching 3-2 win over Kalamazoo on April 13th, then took charge with nine goals and ten points in the postseason. Hausinger was nearly a point-per-game player last season in his time with the Nailers, as he accumulated 19 points in 23 games on five goals and 14 assists. Cam also got his first taste of AHL action with the Milwaukee Admirals and Iowa Wild, in addition to attending NHL training camp with the Nashville Predators. "Cam was a huge part of our team's success two seasons ago, as he helped lead us to the playoffs, where he took his game to a new level," said Nailers Head Coach Derek Army. "Last year, he continued to grow, as he reached the AHL. I am excited to have him, as I expect him to play a major role both on the ice and in the locker room." Prior to turning pro, the Anchorage, Alaska native played five seasons of junior hockey in the WHL with the Saskatoon Blades, Red Deer Rebels, and Kootenay Ice. Cam posted back-to-back 21-goal seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19, with the latter being his best individual campaign, as he finished with 54 points in 67 games. Overall, Hausinger recorded 68 goals, 93 assists, and 161 points in 317 games at the major junior level. Cam is one of three members of the Hausinger family to play in the ECHL, as his older brothers Kenny and Christian have both played in the league. Cam and Kenny played against each other six times during the 2021-22 season. Cam Hausinger and the Wheeling Nailers will open the 2023-24 season on the road against the Cincinnati Cyclones on Saturday, October 21st. The team's home opener is Saturday, November 4th against the Reading Royals at 7:10. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2023-24 season are available now by calling (304) 234-GOAL. The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley. Read the full article

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lustigeseisball · 8 months

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Kann sich der Philly Club noch einmal verbessern?

In Brielles erster Offseason als General Manager der Philadelphia Flyers wurden sofort Änderungen vorgenommen. Sein größter Schritt war die Entsendung von Ivan Provorov im NHL trikot Philadelphia Flyers zu den Columbus Blue Jackets im Rahmen eines Deals, an dem drei Los Angeles Kings-Teams beteiligt waren, darunter die Torhüter Cal Petersen, Sean Walker und Helge Grans sowie zwei Draft-Picks.

Briel schickte auch Center Kevin Hayes für einen Draft Pick zu den St. Louis Blues und kaufte das verbleibende Jahr des Vertrags von Guard Tony D'Angelo auf. Er wechselte in die Free Agency und suchte nach erfahrener Hilfe, indem er die Stürmer Garrett Hathaway und Ryan Pollin sowie den Guard Mark Starr engagierte. Die Flyers bleiben unter Cheftrainer John Tortorella ein hart arbeitendes Team. Es gibt jedoch noch viel zu tun, um diese Liste abzurunden. Wenn Couturier und Atkinson Schwierigkeiten haben, wieder in Form zu kommen, wird sich die Offensive der Flyers im Vergleich zu den 2,68 Toren pro Spiel der letzten Saison nicht wesentlich verbessern. Jeder Rückschritt von Tippett und Frost wird die Leistung des Clubs weiter beeinträchtigen. Außerdem fehlt ihnen ein zuverlässiger Nummer-1-Verteidiger, der ihre blaue Linie untermauert. Hathaway im nhl trikots ist eine großartige Ergänzung zur Check-Line der Flyers, und Starr war einst das Rückgrat der Blue-Line der New York Rangers, aber seine besten Saisons liegen hinter ihm. Pauline ist mittlerweile seinem dritten NHL-Verein seit der Saison 2021/22 beigetreten. Könnte eine große Wende im Schicksal des Philly-Clubs möglich sein?

#nhl trikots

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don-lichterman · 2 years

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2022 NHL free agency live tracker

4:00 PM ET ESPN staff The 2022 NHL offseason is in full swing, as the draft is now in the rearview mirror and teams look to mold their rosters via trades and re-signings. While the start of free agency is traditionally July 1, it began this year on Wednesday because of the shifted schedule of the 2021-22 season. Although the key dates have changed, the goal of free agency has not: GMs around…

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#daily #event #list #NHL #transaction

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moviejersey · 2 years

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[ad_1] The Blue Jackets have had an enormous offseason to this point, with the signings of Johnny Gaudreau and Erik Gudbranson drawing explicit consideration. Now that free company has settled, the main target in Columbus has shifted to the state of affairs with restricted free agent winger Patrik Laine. The 24-year-old ahead is 2 years away from unrestricted free company and has the choice to file for arbitration, take two (probably costly) arbitration awards after which hit free company in 2024. Columbus has a historical past of gifted forwards leaving in free company (Artemi Panarin stands out as a current instance) so it is smart that the Columbus market could be watching the Laine state of affairs intensely with the hope that historical past doesn’t repeat itself. On this case, Blue Jackets followers have purpose to exhale. Laine and his representatives, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, is not going to be submitting for arbitration earlier than the 5 p.m. deadline Sunday.That’s main information, because it’s a affirmation that each the Blue Jackets and Laine are earnestly dedicated to discovering a contract resolution that retains Laine in Columbus long-term. Laine has performed 101 video games as a Blue Jacket and has a formidable 36 targets and 77 factors, together with 26 targets and 56 factors in simply 56 video games in 2021-22. Laine has among the best photographs in hockey and has terrorized goaltenders ever since he made his debut as a rookie in Winnipeg. Earlier than the arrival of Gaudreau, Laine was one of many few stars on the Blue Jackets’ roster, maybe the one different elite expertise on the staff moreover defenseman Zach Werenski. With Gaudreau within the fold now, Laine has the chance to be a part of an thrilling staff in Columbus that has the potential to be probably the most offensively gifted lineup in staff historical past. Portzline states that negotiations between Laine’s agent, Andy Scott, and the staff stay “amicable,” and evidently Laine does have an curiosity in being a part of that high-potential future in Columbus.Nothing is a assure within the NHL, and negotiations can at all times go sideways. However avoiding arbitration is a crucial first step in direction of getting Laine locked-up long-term in Columbus. The deal he will get isn’t prone to rise greater than the $9.75M AAV Gaudreau is incomes, however a modest elevate from Laine’s present $7.5M cap hit wouldn't be unreasonable. The Blue Jackets don’t even have a ton of cap room to get a Laine extension performed, oddly sufficient, as CapFriendly initiatives the staff has $2.3M in present cap house, which positively would make any Laine extension a really tight squeeze. Columbus might have to maneuver a contract with a purpose to have sufficient room to get Laine’s deal performed, and the contracts of Gustav Nyquist and Jakub Voracek could possibly be their greatest choices to maneuver with a purpose to get that house. With that being stated, although, in right this moment’s cap-strapped world, clearing house is as troublesome and expensive because it’s ever been. (function(d, s, id) var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.5&appId=125075807517358"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); (document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); [ad_2] Source link

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