This week we’re gonna take a look at some of the bigger stories around the league as we move closer to the hopeful start of the next season.

It’s time once again for the Nucks Misconduct Round Table, a weekly feature where the NM writers weigh in on some of the current issues facing the Vancouver Canucks. This week, we’re shifting the focus to include the rest of the league, and take a look at some of the bigger stories of the past few days.

1- The Hockey Hall of Fame announced that this year’s inductees will have to wait for their ceremony, and there will be no new inductees next season. Your thoughts on this, please.

Strang - I don’t mind them pushing back this year’s introduction ceremony but I would have rather they just combined them with next year and done a larger ceremony with two classes. Instead it seems as if the class of 2022 will be especially strong but as long as the Sedins are first-ballot I don't mind what happens.

Westy - 2 for 1 next year...or 3 for 1 the year after. Doesn’t really matter to me. I went to the Hall once....touched the Cup. I’m cursed.

jimmi - When they open a branch office of the HHF in Vancouver, wake me up. Until then... it’s just another bauble in the great CoTU Hockey empire.

Rob - I don’t care too much about this topic usually but of course I will be upset if the Sedin brothers don’t both get in on their first try together. Hopefully, the one year induction suspension doesn’t screw them over.

Kent- I can’t help but feel that they’re missing out on an opportunity to put together something that could help hold fans over until the new year when the next season hopefully gets underway.

2- Hockey Twitter’s most notorious MAGA supporter, New York Rangers D Tony DeAngelo suddenly deactivated his account in the wake of the US election. Who’s the bigger baby: Tony D or Todd ‘If Biden Wins I’m Moving To Vancouver’ Bertuzzi?

Strang - Can I cop out and say both equally? I still don't really understand Bertuzzi’s logic about coming back to Canada to escape so maybe I'll give him the edge.

Westy - If you’re willing to go on Twitter and give an opinion on anything, get ready to yapped at by those who don’t agree. Twitter is really the end of polite conversation. The belief that you can change people’s mind about anything by telling them they are wrong.....is stupid.

In this scenario, Bertuzzi’s comment is weird as heading back to Canada would only increase the taxes he pays to both countries. Maybe his tax attorneys should inform him.

jimmi - Oh my... long forgotten hockey players want their 15 seconds of fame back. Take a number and stand in line. We’ll adjudicate your case when time permits - probably moments after thermal equilibrium is reached across the universe. Yes, even in the CoTU.

Rob - NHL hockey players, past and present, have never been known for their intellect, with occasional exceptions like Ken Dryden, Pat Quinn, Kevin Bieksa and a few more.

The DeAngelo fellow came across on Twitter as an intolerant bigot and unsurprisingly the accusatory snowflaker melted under his own tears. Good riddance.

Bert I think (I hope) was trying to be controversial to get some press for his regular radio spot on Sportsnet 650. He didn’t think it through though. His MAGA-ness is related to taxation I think (I hope).

Kent- While Tony D is pretty much the stereotypical racist MAGA chud, Bert’s comment was a real headshaker. So, you’d be so upset about Donald Trump losing that you’d leave America to live in the Conservative Paradise of British Columbia? Meh. Anyway, DeAngelo is DeStupid and I look forward to the Rangers PR department having to deal with his garbage again soon.

3- With the free agency period pretty much over and done with, who were the winners and losers in your opinion, and is there a free agent you’re shocked is still available?

Strang - Well unfortunately I like the moves Calgary made. Markstrom fills a big hole for them and I like Leivo as a breakout candidate. Tanev will help them as well though I don’t love the length they gave him. I like what Colorado did as I love Devon Toews and I feel like they got him for a good price. Ottawa is starting to look like an NHL team and I think they're trending in the right direction. I don’t love the moves the Leafs made, feels like an overreaction to me and I’m not a fan of Bogosian, Simmonds, or Thornton.

Westy - I actually liked what Yzerman did in Detroit. Besides Richmond’s Troy, they got Greiss and Namestnikov. In a couple years that team could be dangerous again. Vancouver did the worst in free agency. Maybe it’s too close to home. I don’t mind losing the guys we did, but it would have been nice to not have cap issues.

jimmi - I’m still struggling with the pro sports double-speak. ‘Free’ agents cost millions and we’re not grabbing Hoffman, even if Lu pays his first, last and middle year. Ok... maybe then. Big winner, is the Nucks. We just don’t know it yet. But we will. Dodged the Kraken with the red faint on Marky.

Shockingly...why hasn’t some eager GM snapped up Duclair? Oh... right... in the flat capped, red-lined NHL, there are no eager GMs left to overpay players for a 72 48 32 game season.

Rob - Calgary may be a short term winner but a long term loser with their UFA signings. There is as much a chance that all their top signings workout as there is that they all start out on LTIR. Now that they’re gone and have guaranteed their financial futures, I have no problem with Marky’s groin popping and Tanev’s bones breaking. Leivo’s kneecap fracture is going to be a tough injury to recover from. He was a slow skater to begin with.

They also signed forwards Joakin Nordstrom and Dominik Simon who are basically lesser Sven Baertschis in my opinion. The only thing keeping Sven Baertschi out of the NHL is his contract number.

The Leafs’ are the clear losers in signing/re-signing the four slow geriatrics (Thornton, Bogosian, Simmonds and Spezza) and downgrading or at best moving laterally between Tyson Barrie and T.J. Brodie. They also signed a flop who will continue to flop (Jimmy Vesey) and a mature Finn (Mikko Lehtonen) who has mistake written all over him.

Mike Hoffman is the UFA I am most surprised that is still out there. While he is a one-dimensional player, his one dimension of scoring goals is hard to come by.

Kent- I think teams like Ottawa and Detroit might actually end up being better because of the signings they’ve made in this year’s free agency period. Calgary and Montreal overspent, and Toronto, man if that doesn’t work heads will roll (again). Worst free agency though was an easy one to choose. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Philadelphia Flyers:

Philadelphia Flyers

Signed

Derrick Pouliot signs one-year contract with Flyers

Erik Gustafsson signs one-year contract with Flyers

Woof.

4- Gino Odjick in the Canucks Ring Of Honour: Yes or No? If you answer no, you must provide a suitable alternative (and not a joke one. Looking at you, Jimmi and Westy...)

Strang - I’m going to go no but will caveat my answer by saying I wasn't around when he played for the team. I think I would add another one of the 2011 guys instead such as Kevin Bieksa or maybe even Ryan Kesler. They both had bigger impacts on the ice even if they're not as beloved by the city.

Westy - During his time with the Canucks and keeping in mind the type of game the NHL was at the time, Gino was a very good role player. Gino was loved for his style of play. He is not a Ring of Honour type of player though. Tony Tanti gets in first...or Kevin Bieksa.

jimmi - Yes. Put Gino in the Ring. In fact, put every former fan-fav Nuck in the RoH. There’s plenty of unused space in the ROG now... Might as well use it for something other than “As Seen On NHL TV” blue tarps.

Rob - It’s time to honour the franchise leader in all time penalty minutes. His 2127 minutes spent in the sin bin will likely never be surpassed. He literally bled for the franchise...repeatedly. He is also an icon in the local community. Don’t be a snooty elitist. Put Geno’s mug up there now.

Kent- Totally for this. Gino was such a big part of those teams in the early 90’s, and so much more than just a fighter. He played for a number of teams in his career, but he really seems to identify as a Canuck. Get him up there.

5- There’s been discussion of moving the Utica Comets temporarily to Canada to allow for NHL teams to have their AHL franchises send players up and down and not violate Canada’s COVID-19 border closure rules. Good idea or no?

Strang - I think that would be a good idea as I could see this season being tough on player’s health. An unusual offseason and a potentially condensed schedule could mean lots of injuries and in that case it would be nice to have potential replacements in Canada who do not need to quarantine.

Westy - Bad for Utica and maybe bad for whatever place it lands in Canada. Utica will be allowed to have some fans go to the games and therefore the franchise can create revenue. Same can’t be said for any team in Canada. I think the league will allow an expanded roster this year to reduce the need for call ups. Any player being called up would have to be in quarantine.

jimmi - Great idea. Since all the NHL teams will be playing in Canada anyhow when the season starts again in early... January July. At the last bubble rink. In Nova Scotia.

Also... Stop it right there! Golly Gee... can we have a moment of silence for Howie.

Rob - I’ve long been an advocate for permanently relocating the Baby Canucks to Abbotsford. Already four of the seven Canadian NHL franchises have their AHL teams within commuting distances of their NHL locations. The trend is clear.

Anbotsford has an AHL approved rink. The fans will come to see their prospects play. The only reason it failed the first time was because locating the farm team of one of your most hated rivals in fervent blue-and-green NHL territory was just plain dumb. The Moose and Wolves sold out all their visiting games in Abbotsford. No one wanted to see and support the Heat.

Do it now and don’t look back.

Kent- This is a tough one. I agree with the temporary move for sure, as it will likely be the only way the AHL runs a season this winter. As far as a permanent move? I’m torn on this. I get all the reasons, and they’re good ones. The part that makes it hard is the fan base in Utica. That city has embraced that team and live and die by Comets hockey. While it would benefit the team greatly to have the farm team close to home, and locals would love to be able to also support the up and coming future Canucks, it would be a blow to a pretty damn good hockey town.