Ongoing NHL Thread Part IV - A New Hope

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I think the Jackets feel they are a strong team in a strong division, and I don't think they are foolish enough to be in win now mode.

They had the 4th best record in hockey last year, they have the reigning Vezina winner, they just traded for one of the top scorers in the league, they have a solid blue line, they’re spending near the cap with a bunch of vets on long-term deals and a number of their best players will be UFA in the next two years.

Maybe I’m missing something but if that’s not a win-now scenario what is?

 

[forty_three]

They had the 4th best record in hockey last year, they have the reigning Vezina winner, they just traded for one of the top scorers in the league, they have a solid blue line, they’re spending near the cap with a bunch of vets on long-term deals and a number of their best players will be UFA in the next two years.

Maybe I’m missing something but if that’s not a win-now scenario what is?

They can take a stab at win now. But they want to stay positioned to win right after that too. And the current roster is a lucky break (or a bad break for opponents) from contending as is. We almost got that break with Murray getting hurt, but we got bizzaro-Fleury.

And UFAs next year are Atkinson, Johnson and Calvert. Calvert and Johnson will be trade deadline fodder unless they sign cheap. Neither is needed. Atkinson could hurt. But he could also go at the deadline for quality too.

The year after is Bob and Panarin. Panarin has two years to earn stupid money, and he will. Bob will get paid handsomely. Another Vezina or two by then and he'll be top paid goalie in the league. Deservedly.

Right now, they are at 12.8m space (with Anderson and Wennberg to sign). If they let Calvert and Johnson go (without adding too much) they gain +/- 7m. And that's before cap goes up with all that Vegas money coming in... They shouldn't be painting themselves into a corner anytime soon.

 

[thedddd]

Maple Leafs scout charged with DUI after golf cart incident at amusement park | Toronto Star

 

[dash]

Maple Leafs scout charged with DUI after golf cart incident at amusement park | Toronto Star

These are the types of stories I'm used to hearing about the Toronto Maple Leafs lol - Last year was an aberration

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Maple Leafs scout charged with DUI after golf cart incident at amusement park | Toronto Star

I feel like this charge was put in there just for fun:

making an unsafe lane change

 

[forty_three]

Maple Leafs scout charged with DUI after golf cart incident at amusement park | Toronto Star

Didn't read, was it Eric Johnson?

 

[thedddd]

Calgary Flames Bring In Tanner Glass On PTO

Still an upgrade over Bennett.

 

[thedddd]

Jared Cowen Signs PTO With Colorado Avalanche

Montreal Canadiens Sign Eric Gelinas To PTO

If healthy could be a good deal for the Avs and Habs respectively.

 

[DragonfromTO]

Jared Cowen Signs PTO With Colorado Avalanche

Montreal Canadiens Sign Eric Gelinas To PTO

If healthy could be a good deal for the Avs and Habs respectively.

If healthy... why the fuck weren't we allowed to buy him out then?

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

If healthy... why the fuck weren't we allowed to buy him out then?

I thought we did?

 

[DragonfromTO]

I thought we did?

Yeah I was kind of unclear there, I was criticizing his challenging the buyout on those grounds in the first place. Although that's probably just the kind of thing where his lawyer kind of just tells him what he should do.

I suppose it's also possible that he has "healed" in the meantime. But I'm a little skeptical.

 

[thedddd]

If healthy... why the fuck weren't we allowed to buy him out then?

Great question. I know he lawyer'ed up on the situation but in reality it was probably his agent doing this to protect him. In the end it didn't work out for him.

I think that's why he got no better than a PTO because I doubt he is healthy.

 

[dash]

Calgary Flames Bring In Tanner Glass On PTO

Still an upgrade over Bennett.

Which Bennett? Tony Bennett, not a chance. Sam Bennett, no way. Beau Bennett, maybe.

 

[megalodon30]

 

[puckhead]

Jared Cowen Signs PTO With Colorado Avalanche

Montreal Canadiens Sign Eric Gelinas To PTO

If healthy could be a good deal for the Avs and Habs respectively.

Ryan White to Canucks on PTO

 

[puckhead]

And Detroit apparently offering one to David Booth

 

[forty_three]

Air Canada Centre to be renamed Scotiabank Arena | Toronto Star

That's a lot of moneys

 

[BGDave]

Air Canada Centre to be renamed Scotiabank Arena | Toronto Star

That's a lot of moneys

Second tier bank trying to be one of the big boys.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

1) Mattola'd.

2) Canada is an incredibly sad, generic land.

 

[dash]

Second tier bank trying to be one of the big boys.

Brings new meaning to "win in the bank", that's for sure.