Elliotte Friedman 31 thoughts

[puckhead]

Everybody loves a reclamation project, but Radulov is no Kovalchuk, in my opinion, the guy is a flake and he's not worth the trouble.

I agree. This last playoff fiasco in Nashville should be the last straw for his NHL career.
- not just boozing the night before a game, but playing with extreme indifference throughout round 2, after the team going out of its way to bring him in (and burn a year of his contract for him in the process).

 

[puckhead]

Lidstrom does it his way, Feaster on the spot: 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports

burn...

13. In discussing the New Jersey forecheck about a week ago, Parise gave some insight into what Philadelphia will be looking for. Parise said one of the reasons the Devils successfully pressured the Flyers was the lack of a right-shot defenceman to move the puck on that side. The only one on the roster is Pavel Kubina, who was a healthy scratch for the series.

 

[Eddie_Shack]

2. The upper limit of the salary cap is "temporarily" set at $70.3 million US (as reported by Bob McKenzie and pending a new CBA). Two things: The NHLPA has the right to "inflate" that total by five per cent and, to this point, has always done so. Initially, I was told this was not included in the calculation, but now I'm told that is incorrect. Also, @FehrTheeWell pointed out a mathematical mistake on Twitter. The inflator is applied to the midpoint figure, not the cap number. I should have remembered that. Apologies, the errors were mine.

Gah!

 

[puckhead]

Curious case of Tim Thomas, NHL's drug policy + 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports

26. Two thoughts on the combine from one team's pretty sharp draft guru. First: "There weren't as many standout guys physically...We've seen stronger groups in the physical testing." Second: "In the interviews, there weren't a lot of peaks and valleys...They were more vanilla. Respectful and polite, no characters. Not a lot of captains in this group."


and joke goes here:
27. Alex Semin apparently loved playing with Pavel Datsyuk at the Worlds. Does that mean he takes the Detroit discount to play for the Red Wings? Trying to think if Semin/Babcock could be a match

 

[Eddie_Shack]

Curious case of Tim Thomas, NHL's drug policy + 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports

26. Two thoughts on the combine from one team's pretty sharp draft guru. First: "There weren't as many standout guys physically...We've seen stronger groups in the physical testing." Second: "In the interviews, there weren't a lot of peaks and valleys...They were more vanilla. Respectful and polite, no characters. Not a lot of captains in this group."


and joke goes here:
27. Alex Semin apparently loved playing with Pavel Datsyuk at the Worlds. Does that mean he takes the Detroit discount to play for the Red Wings? Trying to think if Semin/Babcock could be a match

If Semin plays like the dominant two way winger he can be, The Cock will be slinging Semin all over the ice. If he's lazy, Semin will be riding the wood or even worse, holed up in the box.

 

[dash]

If Semin plays like the dominant two way winger he can be, The Cock will be slinging Semin all over the ice. If he's lazy, Semin will be riding the wood or even worse, holed up in the box.

must spread rep

 

[puckhead]

Keeping Crosby is risky business for Penguins | Hockey | CBC Sports

6. The days leading up to the draft -- and the draft itself -- are going to be very interesting. GMs say there are a lot of conversations right now as teams are calling around, trying to determine who is available and what is wanted. "There are a lot of guys who don't like their teams," one exec said. "And the free-agent market isn't great. Right now, it seems like most feel if you really want to fix your team, a trade is the best way to go." Right now, it sounds like the usual suspects -- Rick Nash, Roberto Luongo -- but it doesn't take long for other names to seep into conversations.

7. Until Sunday, Doug Wilson had made some kind of trade with 28 of the other 29 teams. The Brad Stuart deal made it 29 of 29. Detroit was the final partner.

14. It doesn't sound like the Islanders are interested in re-signing Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau. Sometimes, people look at guys like him and say, "He's only getting points because he's playing with John Tavares." While that may be true, it's always a gamble the next guy has the same chemistry with your star. Or that Parenteau will go somewhere else and get 67 points with a different star.

18. Brodeur's roughest performance in the Stanley Cup final was Game 3. Now that was after a cross-country flight and a 5 p.m. local start the next day. That's not easy for a 40-year-old who hadn't been out of his own time zone since Jan. 14. Let's see if it's an issue in Game 6.

 

[puckhead]

Rick Nash's potential suitors plus 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports

6. Darren Dreger reported that Jaromir Jagr will test free agency. He had a very good season and exposure to him benefitted the Flyers' young players. The only drawback may be that both Detroit and Pittsburgh found negotiating with him last year to be an excruciating experience.

9. Asked a couple of GMs if they'd heard Evander Kane is available. Both said no. Is it possible the relationship is strained? Yes sir, but trading a 20-year-old 30-goal scorer is risky business. Both GMs did say they would absolutely be interested if Kane got to the market.

13. At this point, there seems to be more interest in trading down than up. That may change as things unfold Friday night, but there don't seem to be a ton of guys who can help now. Therefore, teams may try to get multiple picks later in the first or during the second.

31. Thought a lot about Brian Burke's comments to The Toronto Star after the Luke Schenn note last week. I concede that I should have used the word "reports" instead of "rumblings" in my copy. Sometimes, in trying to avoid overuse of one word, I get too cute. I decided to write about it after seeing the Schenn-to-Edmonton note in The Montreal Gazette and The Toronto Sun. Other than that, I stand by everything written: that Burke loves the big stage; that the Oilers like Schenn and have asked about him; that other teams believe he'd be a better player out of Toronto. Burke said, "Some editorial control at Hockey Night would be nice for a change." I recognize he is sensitive about hearing his players' names mentioned in rumours. But, as a long-time GM, he knows that, by participating in the process, he does have some control over what is said, because I'm obligated to report his responses. But, for months now, he has refused to participate in the process, including to a question posed as recently as two weeks ago. It's like an election: If you don't vote, you've got no right to complain

 

[mattola]

Time to free up NHL free agency + 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports

 

[dash]

Last 30 thoughts for a while (as usual, Friedman does a bang-up job).

Zach Parise 'ran the show' + 30 Thoughts | Hockey | CBC Sports

 

[Nasty_Magician]

Curious to know if Suter had gone to another team would Parise still be a Devil?

 

[puckhead]

lol...


36. The only reason I'd trade Yandle is, at the All-Star Game, he knew all the words to Drake's songs.

 

[awaz]

2. The idea of term limits led to a lot of discussion about what that would mean for Shea Weber, Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, all of whom are scheduled to be unrestricted next year. But, if you really go through the list (capgeek is a good resource) the list of potential UFAs/RFAs is staggering. Alex Edler, Joffrey Lupul, Kari Lehtonen, David Clarkson, Milan Lucic, Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, Alex Pietrangelo, Brad Marchand, Zach Bogosian, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Max Pacioretty, Jeff Skinner and Jordan Eberle. How many of them will want to get deals done under the current rules?

this is what drives me crazy. if so many of them want to get deals done under the current rules, why the fuck do they want to change the rules?

 

[dash]

30 Thoughts: NHL lockout enters crucial week | Hockey | CBC Sports

 

[mattola]

30 Thoughts: NHL lockout enters crucial week | Hockey | CBC Sports

I like the one

27. Ken Hitchcock made a great point on Hockey Night In Canada Radio - the extra time off is going to help the Kings. They'll be more rested than any Stanley Cup champion since the Lightning.

what makes me laugh about it is. that they were most rested winning the Stanley Cup. They dispatched every team with ease. i dont think they had one significant injury the whole run. they sure didnt look like boston/vancouver when that cup was over. they could have played another round and still been fresh

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Found this one interesting:

26. Will be interesting to see what NHL teams do with juniors who are off to great starts. Do the Jets take Mark Scheifele (tied for the OHL lead with 20 points) to an abbreviated training camp? Same goes for the Islanders and Ryan Strome, among others.

Hadn't even considered the impact it could have on the junior teams since training camp would take place after the junior seasons have started.

Wonder if that will impact the rules for deciding whether to keep the young guys up or send them back down when/if the season gets started. Anyone remember how that happened after the last lockout?

 

[mooger_35]

Last lockout lost the entire year so everything just started as per normal when they decided to play again.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

Last lockout lost the entire year so everything just started as per normal when they decided to play again.

Sorry, should have been clearer...last lockout that didn't cost an entire season.

Was thinking all the way back to '94.

 

[puckhead]

what makes me laugh about it is. that they were most rested winning the Stanley Cup. They dispatched every team with ease. i dont think they had one significant injury the whole run. they sure didnt look like boston/vancouver when that cup was over. they could have played another round and still been fresh

they were the only team I have ever seen that got healthier as the playoffs went on.
fuckers.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Kings need the extra time to rest their livers