The NHL season starts tomorrow night. I’ve got some ideas for how we can use this space, but I want to hear from readers on how I can best deliver on a subscription. Let me know your thoughts.
A few people story ideas: what was Lucas Raymond's off season prep like? How did Shawn Horcoff settle into his new role? Maybe follow the trail of an AHLer like Joel Lesperance as he settles into his new team, following a few years in Dallas/Cedar Park. Or an article on Tanner Kero and his recovery after his injury in Dallas, since he's back with Texas.
I've also been curious about the professional paths of arena organists. How did they get there?
Why are things the way they are in hockey? For example, how does roster construction work, why do some coaches systems matchup well against other systems, why was my soul crushed for every playoff goal Val Nichushkin scored this year knowing the Stars protected him instead of Cody Eakin 😫?
I always enjoyed your breakdowns of how the Stars PP and penalty kill was succeeding (or not) or how exactly Miro is just awesome. Since you aren't local, maybe do breakdowns of the best PPs and penalty kills and what you see that makes them tick as well as a feature on a couple of the best players league wide?
thanks Carolyn, won't ever drop that from the coverage, but will find the right fit of balance on that front. This whole thing is an experiment that I'm thankful for readers testing with me.
When you were on the Stars beat, I always enjoyed your 20/20 pieces after the game. Maybe that could be adapted for regular national coverage? Then throw in the special features mentioned above.
thanks Bill, the 20/20 is a format that was great for when I was at the rink all the time... there are some elements of that that maybe we can find for national coverage. Let me think on that, also anyone else here who has ideas of how we can do that, I'm all ears
I've always enjoyed the more personal stories, kinda like your coverage of Stephen Johns. Also your analysis pieces are always interesting. Similar to how you talked about Nick Robertson and gegenpressing. I really enjoy the unique takes I don't find with any other author. Also I'm partial to Stars hockey, but that's just me
thanks John, and yes this will be a space to tell some human stories as we move forward, still getting feet under me after losing the old job.... I also think you'll see more fun conceptually stuff like we did with the Robertsons last week, I was kind of stopped from doing that stuff in the past at old shop...
Do what you do and do it objectively/fairly like you always did. If you do it will be on par with any coverage coming from D Magazine, which will tower over the rest. Good luck bud.
I loved your old 20/20 reviews of games. Not sure if you'd be able to turn in something like that every couple days similar to Friedman's 31 Thoughts.
I'd also love some articles related to free agency. How does player recruitment play into it (is it like the NBA)? Coaches (Think Marchant to Dallas)? In-organization factions such as the Stars with the Finnish contingent, the older Red Wings and the Russian connection, etc. Or is it all just who can offer the most money?
I’d personally love some insight into what teams/players who committed to doing more to be actively anti-racist 2 years ago have actually done about that? Especially now that things are mostly back to normal in terms of being able to interact outside a small bubble.
Also partial to any Stars-adjacent content, and enjoy reading your point of view on slightly less conventionally discussed trends in hockey play (such as the piece you did on the Robertson brothers). I’ll be honest I’m here less for the business side of things but really if you’re writing it I’ll still read it.
this isn't going to be a business site as we move forward, I think it'll be better defined as a site that covers hockey stories, but sometimes touches on business when it's interesting.... poor definition, I know... I'm also looking for the right fit on Stars things, I know I have a lot of readers in Dallas still, but not being there I also have to see what I can do from far.... part of the reason I'm having this discussion is to talk things out with readers/be transparent. Thanks!
I think we can find a way to look at some of the more confusing elements of that and try to simplify them as they arise, we can also look at some trends here and there. I don't want to become a cap site, because I don't have the time/resources as a one-man shop.
Challenge the “hockey guy” mentality prevalent in team management and the assumptions associated with it. I’ve seen you hint about it, but now you have the chance to independently assess the way clubs do business.
I love the breakdown of some of the more intricate pieces of the NHL (LTIR, waivers, contracts, AHL movement consequences, CAP, etc) and would love to read more on some of the harder to understand topics. You've got a natural way of breaking those down that I enjoy!
Would love to see some coverage on all of these young, up and comings and how they're performing to "expectations" (meeting them, under performing, surpassing). As a Stars guy, it's easy to keep my eye on our folks (e.g Wyatt Johnston... Is he going to kill it or did we pull him up too soon?) but would love your opinion on these young punks around the league
I like your pieces on the business and media sides of the NHL; everything behind the scenes. There aren't too many outlets covering those topics and I find this stuff fascinating.
I was also a fan of the film room pieces you used to do for the Stars and would love to see more like that, not necessarily for Dallas but anywhere an interesting story can be told. I understand they were probably a lot of work though.
Editing my comment to say: I just read your league notes for today and noticed that you too have had this very idea around film pieces. Excellent!
A few people story ideas: what was Lucas Raymond's off season prep like? How did Shawn Horcoff settle into his new role? Maybe follow the trail of an AHLer like Joel Lesperance as he settles into his new team, following a few years in Dallas/Cedar Park. Or an article on Tanner Kero and his recovery after his injury in Dallas, since he's back with Texas.
I've also been curious about the professional paths of arena organists. How did they get there?
Why are things the way they are in hockey? For example, how does roster construction work, why do some coaches systems matchup well against other systems, why was my soul crushed for every playoff goal Val Nichushkin scored this year knowing the Stars protected him instead of Cody Eakin 😫?
AHL as a development league, and how it can help/hurt prospects.
I like this idea, the AHL is an often under-covered space in the sport.
This fits into my idea above
Third! It would be nice to understand more.
I second this :)
I always enjoyed your breakdowns of how the Stars PP and penalty kill was succeeding (or not) or how exactly Miro is just awesome. Since you aren't local, maybe do breakdowns of the best PPs and penalty kills and what you see that makes them tick as well as a feature on a couple of the best players league wide?
Yeah, maybe best and worst play breakdowns? Good plays are fun, but so are really bad ones sometimes. 🤣
Your insight on the business side of the League for the Athletic has been great, and you really presented it better than anyone else I've read.
thanks Carolyn, won't ever drop that from the coverage, but will find the right fit of balance on that front. This whole thing is an experiment that I'm thankful for readers testing with me.
When you were on the Stars beat, I always enjoyed your 20/20 pieces after the game. Maybe that could be adapted for regular national coverage? Then throw in the special features mentioned above.
thanks Bill, the 20/20 is a format that was great for when I was at the rink all the time... there are some elements of that that maybe we can find for national coverage. Let me think on that, also anyone else here who has ideas of how we can do that, I'm all ears
I've always enjoyed the more personal stories, kinda like your coverage of Stephen Johns. Also your analysis pieces are always interesting. Similar to how you talked about Nick Robertson and gegenpressing. I really enjoy the unique takes I don't find with any other author. Also I'm partial to Stars hockey, but that's just me
thanks John, and yes this will be a space to tell some human stories as we move forward, still getting feet under me after losing the old job.... I also think you'll see more fun conceptually stuff like we did with the Robertsons last week, I was kind of stopped from doing that stuff in the past at old shop...
Do what you do and do it objectively/fairly like you always did. If you do it will be on par with any coverage coming from D Magazine, which will tower over the rest. Good luck bud.
I loved your old 20/20 reviews of games. Not sure if you'd be able to turn in something like that every couple days similar to Friedman's 31 Thoughts.
I'd also love some articles related to free agency. How does player recruitment play into it (is it like the NBA)? Coaches (Think Marchant to Dallas)? In-organization factions such as the Stars with the Finnish contingent, the older Red Wings and the Russian connection, etc. Or is it all just who can offer the most money?
I’d personally love some insight into what teams/players who committed to doing more to be actively anti-racist 2 years ago have actually done about that? Especially now that things are mostly back to normal in terms of being able to interact outside a small bubble.
Also partial to any Stars-adjacent content, and enjoy reading your point of view on slightly less conventionally discussed trends in hockey play (such as the piece you did on the Robertson brothers). I’ll be honest I’m here less for the business side of things but really if you’re writing it I’ll still read it.
this isn't going to be a business site as we move forward, I think it'll be better defined as a site that covers hockey stories, but sometimes touches on business when it's interesting.... poor definition, I know... I'm also looking for the right fit on Stars things, I know I have a lot of readers in Dallas still, but not being there I also have to see what I can do from far.... part of the reason I'm having this discussion is to talk things out with readers/be transparent. Thanks!
Maybe something on managing the cap, LTIR, buyouts, etc? Which GMs navigate it best?
I think we can find a way to look at some of the more confusing elements of that and try to simplify them as they arise, we can also look at some trends here and there. I don't want to become a cap site, because I don't have the time/resources as a one-man shop.
Challenge the “hockey guy” mentality prevalent in team management and the assumptions associated with it. I’ve seen you hint about it, but now you have the chance to independently assess the way clubs do business.
I love the breakdown of some of the more intricate pieces of the NHL (LTIR, waivers, contracts, AHL movement consequences, CAP, etc) and would love to read more on some of the harder to understand topics. You've got a natural way of breaking those down that I enjoy!
Would love to see some coverage on all of these young, up and comings and how they're performing to "expectations" (meeting them, under performing, surpassing). As a Stars guy, it's easy to keep my eye on our folks (e.g Wyatt Johnston... Is he going to kill it or did we pull him up too soon?) but would love your opinion on these young punks around the league
I like your pieces on the business and media sides of the NHL; everything behind the scenes. There aren't too many outlets covering those topics and I find this stuff fascinating.
I was also a fan of the film room pieces you used to do for the Stars and would love to see more like that, not necessarily for Dallas but anywhere an interesting story can be told. I understand they were probably a lot of work though.
Editing my comment to say: I just read your league notes for today and noticed that you too have had this very idea around film pieces. Excellent!
More coverage on the New Jersey devils :)
Coach/GM real-time hot-seat-o-meter!