Ongoing NHL thread - Part deux

[KennyBanyeah]

This is from a little over a year ago

 

[forty_three]

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Ryane Clowe Announces End of Playing Career

 

[dash]

The Chicago Blackhawks announced today they have acquired defensemen Dennis Robertson and Jake Massie and a fifth-round selection in the 2017 National Hockey League Draft from the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forwards Kris Versteeg and Joakim Nordstrom and a third-round selection in the 2017 NHL Draft.

 

[tducey]

To bad about Clowe. He's a fellow Newfoundlander, had loads of talents but injuries cost him a lot in his career.

 

[tducey]

Chicago's going to be worse this year, even if Kane is still there. Still think they make the playoffs.

 

[forty_three]

Blue Jackets | Jared Boll reshapes himself in order to keep job

Huh. He's smarter than I thought.

 

[tducey]

With the season about to start, I was wondering what teams you think surprise this year? I think St.Louis will surprise by taking a huge step back, I also think Colorado takes a huge step up this year.

 

[pixburgher66]

With the season about to start, I was wondering what teams you think surprise this year? I think St.Louis will surprise by taking a huge step back, I also think Colorado takes a huge step up this year.

Meh, still not a big believer in Colorado. They have talent up front for days, that's about it. Two years ago they were the most opportunistic team in the league (aka, their fancy stats were horrid) and rode that and a hot goalie into the playoffs. Last year seemed more like the real Avs. Adding Beauchemin was a smart move, but their D is still pretty mediocre outside of him and Barrie. Even up front their depth isn't as great as I thought. McKinnon, Duchene, Landeskog, Iginla *huge cliff*. Obviously that's still a super great top four talent, but still. That said, the Central may be a bit weaker this year. St. Louis, I'd agree isn't going to be as lights out. Chicago will take a step back. Nashville may make a serious run at winning the division, Minnesota? Who knows which version we see. Dallas I can see being very, very good.

 

[forty_three]

Oliver Bjorkstrand had five points in the Jackets' Prospect game vs Minnesota at Traverse. 8 pts in two games so far

But the crawl at the bottom of the screen on NHL Network said that Eichel had one assist for the Sabres in their prospect game.

So, good for Jack, I guess.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Meh, still not a big believer in Colorado. They have talent up front for days, that's about it. Two years ago they were the most opportunistic team in the league (aka, their fancy stats were horrid) and rode that and a hot goalie into the playoffs. Last year seemed more like the real Avs. Adding Beauchemin was a smart move, but their D is still pretty mediocre outside of him and Barrie. Even up front their depth isn't as great as I thought. McKinnon, Duchene, Landeskog, Iginla *huge cliff*. Obviously that's still a super great top four talent, but still. That said, the Central may be a bit weaker this year. St. Louis, I'd agree isn't going to be as lights out. Chicago will take a step back. Nashville may make a serious run at winning the division, Minnesota? Who knows which version we see. Dallas I can see being very, very good.

Zadorov could step in for Colorado on D this year, and Grigorenko will get a chance to become an NHL regular. ROR's departure left a huge hole though, one that even a great year from Grigorenko combined with Soderberg wouldn't be able to fill. Having said that, if McKinnon and Landeskog can get back to and surpass their production from two years ago, which I think is fair enough to assume, and Varly is stellar in net they can get back to the offs.

Minny obviously depends on whether Dub can repeat what he did last year.

I'm still not sold on Dallas. Two has-been goalies eating up $10 mil, two mid-30s second liners carrying a lot of expectation, their defence was awful last season and the only help brought in was Johnny Oduya who I don't think very highly of. They're relying a lot on Klingberg and Oleksiak making huge improvements and carrying the blue line and that could backfire big time, especially without the reliability of a star goalie. Getting Nichushkin back is huge if he can pick up where he left off.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Oliver Bjorkstrand had five points in the Jackets' Prospect game vs Minnesota at Traverse. 8 pts in two games so far

But the crawl at the bottom of the screen on NHL Network said that Eichel had one assist for the Sabres in their prospect game.

So, good for Jack, I guess.

Remember when you were jumpy because they traded Marko Dano, for a 22 year old 50 pt scorer nonetheless?

That team has an embarrassment of riches right now. I could see a big move for a 1D before the end of the year from a struggling team (Edler?). Something like that combined with a jump from Murray and I might put the Jackets as East faves.

 

[forty_three]

Remember when you were jumpy because they traded Marko Dano, for a 22 year old 50 pt scorer nonetheless?

That team has an embarrassment of riches right now. I could see a big move for a 1D before the end of the year from a struggling team (Edler?). Something like that combined with a jump from Murray and I might put the Jackets as East faves.

They still feel they need a #1D or at least one more top 4 D guy. I am not so sure. They have a guy who has been there all summer and looking good (Dillon Heatherington) plus that Paliotta kid, Gabe Carlssson and this guy named Werenski in a year or two. If Murray can stay healthy until then they could be very, very good. But that's a HUGE if, it seems.

The only worry I have right now (Besides humps like Clarkson, Boll and Bourque getting ice time) is Kerby Rychel and his agent (Kurt Overhardt) apparently met with Jackets brass to "Discuss his standing" with the organization. Overhardt is probably telling Rychel he is as good or better than Pavel Datsyuk or something.

I think Johnson has to be part of any deal for a 1D. Johnson, Rychel and Calvert are the biggest trade baits. I think Rychel (or more; his agent) has pushed himself right out of a legit shot of making the team. He may very well be NHL ready, but he will be hard pressed to make this team.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

They still feel they need a #1D or at least one more top 4 D guy. I am not so sure. They have a guy who has been there all summer and looking good (Dillon Heatherington) plus that Paliotta kid, Gabe Carlssson and this guy named Werenski in a year or two. If Murray can stay healthy until then they could be very, very good. But that's a HUGE if, it seems.

The only worry I have right now (Besides humps like Clarkson, Boll and Bourque getting ice time) is Kerby Rychel and his agent (Kurt Overhardt) apparently met with Jackets brass to "Discuss his standing" with the organization. Overhardt is probably telling Rychel he is as good or better than Pavel Datsyuk or something.

I think Johnson has to be part of any deal for a 1D. Johnson, Rychel and Calvert are the biggest trade baits. I think Rychel (or more; his agent) has pushed himself right out of a legit shot of making the team. He may very well be NHL ready, but he will be hard pressed to make this team.

If that's true about Rychel, it's unfortunate because his performance in the A didn't exactly warrant a sure-thing roster spot on the big team. He good, but another season with the pros on the bus and he should be ready to make an impact next season. It's kind of like the Nino Niederreiter scenario that Isles fans convinced themselves happened but didn't really.

Sure, maybe some of the kids could make a jump and make an impact but at this juncture, with the moves they've made in the past two years it's time to contend. I mean, would you as a fan be content and call it progress if they make the playoffs and go out in the first round to Pittsburgh or NYR? Do you have any reason to believe the Jackets aren't a better team than those two, other than the fact they probably lack one 25 minute d-man? I look at their roster and I'm really not seeing that and you only get so big a window before extensions are needed and higher-earning veterans need to be moved and their roles filled with prospects who may be promising but need time to reach the level of the guys they're replacing.

I don't know if anyone would ever take Johnson's contract, at least not with the intention of improving their team (there's always a chance they could move him to a team like Toronto as a straight salary dump along with a first or second rounder). But if say Nashville ever decided the time was right to move Weber (and I think that's a bigger possibility than anyone else probably thinks) Columbus would a) benefit the most from such a move, and b) have the best assets to send the other way that Nashville would be interested in. Ditto for Byfuglien or Edler.

 

[forty_three]

If that's true about Rychel, it's unfortunate because his performance in the A didn't exactly warrant a sure-thing roster spot on the big team. He good, but another season with the pros on the bus and he should be ready to make an impact next season. It's kind of like the Nino Niederreiter scenario that Isles fans convinced themselves happened but didn't really.

Sure, maybe some of the kids could make a jump and make an impact but at this juncture, with the moves they've made in the past two years it's time to contend. I mean, would you as a fan be content and call it progress if they make the playoffs and go out in the first round to Pittsburgh or NYR? Do you have any reason to believe the Jackets aren't a better team than those two, other than the fact they probably lack one 25 minute d-man? I look at their roster and I'm really not seeing that and you only get so big a window before extensions are needed and higher-earning veterans need to be moved and their roles filled with prospects who may be promising but need time to reach the level of the guys they're replacing.

I don't know if anyone would ever take Johnson's contract, at least not with the intention of improving their team (there's always a chance they could move him to a team like Toronto as a straight salary dump along with a first or second rounder). But if say Nashville ever decided the time was right to move Weber (and I think that's a bigger possibility than anyone else probably thinks) Columbus would a) benefit the most from such a move, and b) have the best assets to send the other way that Nashville would be interested in. Ditto for Byfuglien or Edler.

Rychel got hurt, so his season in the A was not what he wanted. He had five games in the big show this year and looked strong. But five good games on a team playing with nothing to lose doesn't warrant a come to Jesus talk with management.

Bjork, Milano, Karlsson, Bittner, Anderson and Chaput all have as much or better shot at roles in the team as Rychel. In fact, most likely better because with the exception of Bittner, all the other guys aren't just younger Dubinski/Hartnell/Foligno's.

And no, I would not be content with a first round ouster. And I believe that the Jackets are as good in most areas (in some better - in some worse) as the Pens and Rags. I want to see some damage. I want to see that team that won 14 of the last 15 games to end last year.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Rychel got hurt, so his season in the A was not what he wanted. He had five games in the big show this year and looked strong. But five good games on a team playing with nothing to lose doesn't warrant a come to Jesus talk with management.

Bjork, Milano, Karlsson, Bittner, Anderson and Chaput all have as much or better shot at roles in the team as Rychel. In fact, most likely better because with the exception of Bittner, all the other guys aren't just younger Dubinski/Hartnell/Foligno's.

And no, I would not be content with a first round ouster. And I believe that the Jackets are as good in most areas (in some better - in some worse) as the Pens and Rags. I want to see some damage. I want to see that team that won 14 of the last 15 games to end last year.

I agree. They'll obviously wait and see what they have, but if it turns into a situation where Bob's facing 30+ a night and the team is winning games the hard way by scoring 5-6 a night and winning by 1, pressure's gotta be put on management to get something done. I think there's a decent chance it doesn't come to that, but a lot would have to go right.

 

[forty_three]

I'll be here all week. Don't try the veal. I want it all for myself.

 

[forty_three]

http://www.ottawacommunitynews.com/news-story/5841607-sens-vs-habs-on-parliament-hill-/

Okay. This needs to happen.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

its a tradition in boston ... win and they love you ... lose and the knives come out

Bruins' aim in new season: Reunite a divided team

 

[jstewismybastardson]

A poll of veteran Bruins players, if truth serum was involved, would probably reveal that many of them felt that guys like Hamilton and Reilly Smith weren’t willing to pay the price to win, and didn’t really want to be Bruins at the end of the day. Smith’s days here were essentially numbered when he choked hard in a March 19 must-win game against the hard-charging Senators: He finished with a minus-3 and got benched for his lackadaisical, careless play. His turnovers led to easy Senators goals in a late-season game the Bruins needed to win to squelch Ottawa’s momentum toward the playoffs, and it spoke volumes about Smith’s willingness to fight and battle under pressure.


In Hamilton’s case, reports that he was unanimously disliked are more hyperbole than truth; the young defenseman had a couple of friends on the team. But he was never really a good fit for the Boston market, for the team, or for the identity of the Bruins. He read and heard -- and took to heart -- absolutely everything that was written and said about him (and a lot is written and said in this intense media market), wasn’t nearly tough enough, and didn’t seem all that interested in working on becoming the dominant two-way defenseman his skills indicate he can be. Instead he seemed most focused on power plays and points and becoming a great offensive defenseman, rather than a dominant all-around player.