Looking ahead to possible offseason moves involving Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Milan Lucic, James Reimer and more in your NHL rumor mill.
Ducks defensemen Hampus Lindholm (left) and Sami Vatanen could be targeted by teams seeking blue-line depth this summer.
THE BOSTON GLOBE: After noting the reasons why this year’s trade deadline was a dud, Fluto Shinzawa explains June is the more efficient month for making trades. “Teams have yet to set rosters or budgets for the upcoming season. All 30 clubs, more or less, are on equal footing. Most important, draft picks are still in play,” he writes.
Shinzawa believes Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney could target the Anaheim Ducks and Minnesota Wild in search of long-term blueline depth. With Shea Theodore pushing for an NHL roster spot, the Ducks also have to re-sign RFAs Hampus Lindholm and Sami Vatanen. The Wild must re-sign promising Matt Dumba, and GM Chuck Fletcher listened to trade offers for Jonas Brodin before the recent trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Ducks could be Sweeney’s best bet. They’re loaded with good young blueliners but are also under a self-imposed cap ceiling. While the Ducks have over $52 million invested in 14 players for 2016-17, they could attempt to keep their cap ceiling to around $65 miillion. With several UFAs to re-sign or replace (David Perron, Chris Stewart, Jamie McGinn and Mike Santorelli) plus Vatanen and Lindholm due substantial raises, perhaps one of those two could be available in exchange for a good, affordable winger.
If the Edmonton Oilers win the draft lottery again and use the first-overall pick to select center Auston Matthews, Shinzawa speculates that could put center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, along with wingers Jordan Eberle and Nail Yakupov, on “trade watch” as GM Peter Chiarelli seeks to upgrade his blueline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Or Chiarelli could package that pick with Yakupov or Nugent-Hopkins in hopes of landing that top-two defenseman he’s seeking. Lots of options here for the Oilers GM.
Philadelphia Flyers GM Ron Hextall could look to shed salary “for upcoming raises due to Jakub Voracek and Sean Couturier.”
SPECTOR’S NOTE: For those who might be confused by that statement as I initially was, he means the new contracts for the pair due to kick in next season. The Flyers currently have nearly $63 million committed to 17 players in 2016-17. They could buy out the final season of fading winger R.J. Umberger’s contract ($4.6 million contract) or perhaps ship him to a team with plenty of cap space and take back a less-expensive contract. There was lots of talk of trading Mark Streit before the trade deadline. With one season at $5.25 million left on his contract, maybe they find a suitable taker if he agrees to waive his no-movement clause.
Hextall would probably love to shed Andrew MacDonald’s $5 million per season contract (through 2019-20) but I don’t see many takers for that one. Nick Schultz ($2.25 million for 2016-17) could also be a trade candidate. Winger Matt Read ($3.625 million through 2017-18) is another trade possibility.
Buffalo Sabres GM Tim Murray will have draft picks and salary-cap space to use in making more offseason deals.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Murray has $46.8 million invested in 14 players for 2016-17 and an owner willing to spend toward whatever next season’s cap ceiling might be. He has four picks in the third round of this year’s draft, plus two seconds and two thirds in 2017. I expect he’ll be busy wheeling and dealing again this summer.
There could be more interest in Tampa Bay Lightning left wing Jonathan Drouin in June than there was at this year’s trade deadline.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: There was reportedly at least a dozen teams with varying degrees of interest in Drouin leading up to Feb. 29. I daresay there will be more in the week leading up to the NHL Draft in Buffalo this June. I’ll be very surprised if Drouin isn’t moved by the end of the draft weekend.
While Los Angeles Kings left wing Milan Lucic could get the chance to sign with his hometown Vancouver Canucks, that club’s struggles prompts Shinzawa to suggest Lucic would be better off taking less money to remain with the Kings.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: Lucic could also look at signing elsewhere, but the Kings certainly want to keep him and he seems keen to stay. Making the dollars fit will be key. Lucic is completing a three-year, $18-million deal. The Kings have over $64 million invested in 18 players for next season. Assuming only a marginal increase in the current cap ceiling ($71.4 million), there’s not a lot of cap space there. They’ll get an additional $2.25 million when Vincent Lecavalier retires at season’s end, but that still makes fitting Lucic’s new contract within their cap ceiling a tight squeeze.
The Carolina Hurricanes will need a replacement for pending UFA goaltender Cam Ward. San Jose Sharks goalie James Reimer could be available via free agency, while the Detroit Red Wings could put veteran netminder Jimmy Howard on the trade block.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Hurricanes will have the cap space to take on Howard’s $5.291 million annual cap hit through 2018-19, provided he’s willing to accept a trade to Carolina. Reimer, however, could be a more affordable option, though his injury history could be cause for concern.
Yakupov keeps coming up in the rumours as if he is somehow a significant piece to move – I don’t think he is. His nearly 250 games of NHL experience provide a large enough sample size that you can now make the call: he is a 25-35 point scoring forward and he hasn’t learned or isn’t capable of being defensively responsible.
And the more history we see, the more you start to believe when Burke said they had Morgan Rielly ranked first overall in that draft.
Looking more and more that way Dan39. In that draft there were 9 D taken in the first 15 picks, 7 in a row – Ryan Murray (2nd), Griffin Reinhart (4), Morgan Rielly (5), Hampus Lindholm (6), Mathew Dumba (7), Derrik Pouliot (8), Jacob Trouba (9), Slater Koekkoek (10) and Cody Ceci (15).
Good batch overall, and Olli Maatta went 22nd!
As for Yakupov, as I stated in an earlier thread he is, in effect, the second coming of Alexandre Daigle. A bust.
vasilevsky,Forsberg,trouba,galchenyuk and dumba. reilly is more of a one dimensional dman right now really needs to work on his defensive postioning
maata too lol
Lol Bigbear, you’re such an outrageous troll. Calling Reilly one dimensional is a joke – he’s literally been tasked for most of the season with defensive, shutdown assignments while the Phaneuf pairing was given the sheltered assignments.
omg dan all you do is overvalue leaf players watch him run around in his own end
Reilly is 1 of the best young up & coming Dman in the NHL. 22 in 2 days & already has 218 games of NHL experience. Just scratching the surface of his potential & still at least 2 years away or if you prefer 172 games away from being fully developed.
no one cares striker
littlebear. At least try to be civil. No need to be rude.
lol name calling is being rude saying no one cares is about your and only your thoughts on games played is being honest
Bigbear, you’re just trolling with these non-fact based arguments against Leaf players. It’s plainly obvious you weren’t aware of Rielly’s usage under Babcock. Try and at least look at the stats to inform your comments if you don’t watch the games.
dan I just read your comments about subban do you watch the habs games? to say pk is not good defensively and reilly is is a joke
Nobody cares about what Striker says? Oh the irony. His posts are filled with information filtered through his experience with Fantasy Hockey and he’s disciplined in terms of sticking to facts in his arguments. You could learn from him.
lol you hit the nail on the head with fantasy hockey
Bigbear, Subban at 26 is an elite defenseman and Rielly at 21 is not – there’s no comparison between the two. Everyone understands that when we discuss a prospect it’s in the context of their peers. Jeez
Ehh I domt find he is great defensively either…and a bunch of analytics show it. Now he is youngand it takes time for that side of game to develop and Im not sure any of the others from that year are heads and shoulders better Defensively, and Riely is elite offensively, but I think Big near does kinda have a point. Rielly so far has showed he has aways to go defensively, they all do really. Still lilely to be a very good top pair guy.
exactly your the one who said reilly is the best of that draft and I gave examples of guys who are better right now I said reilly needs to work on his defensive side of the puck and you call me a troll? your a huge leaf lover that doesn’t think anyone from that draft is better than reilly cause the gm said they had him number one! do you know how often a gm says that after they draft them in the first round?? geeez
I think the moons have aligned shticky lol were agreeing a lot mor lmao
In your case big bear even a broken clock is right twice a day.
same to you lol
No point in inserting this in that string of comments regarding Morgan Rielly as it would wind up with 2 or 3 words per line, so I decided to insert this separately.
Purely from a mainly distant observation and their performances in the NHL – so far – I’d rate those D taken in the first 22 picks of the 2012 draft this way (and I realize that WHO they play for, not to mention alongside, has had varying effects on their performances which may distort their overall skills, but nevertheless, they all came out of the same draft year and MOST should have been taken ahead of Yakupov):
1. Hampus Lindholm (6th) – 219gp 21g 65a 86pts – collective +53 for Anaheim
2. Olli Maata (22nd) 157gp 16g 40a 56s – collective +34 for Pittsburgh
3. Jacob Trouba (9th) – 194gp 22g 45a 67pts – collective +7 for Winnipeg
4. Mathew Dumba (7th) – 138gp 19g 22a 41pts – collective +12 for Minnesota
5. Morgan Rielly (5th) – 218gp 16g 67a 83pts – collective -44 for Toronto
6. Cody Ceci (15th) 190gp 15g 34a 49 pts – collective -2 for Ottawa
7. Ryan Murray (2nd) – 144 gp 9g 36a 45pts – collective -6 with Columbus
8. Derrick Pouliot (8th) – 52gp 2g 11a 13 pts – +3 for Pittsburgh
9. Griffin Reinhart – 23gp 0g 2a 2pts – -3 for Edmonton – just breaking in
10. Slater Koekkoek – 7gp 0g 0a 0pts E for TB – just breaking in and may be the sleeper in the mix
When we see any conflict on here , there is always one common denominator.
I dont really care what the +/- say muself I know others do but it could be argied that the goalies behind some of those others and minutes and D pairing play a big part in why Riellu +/- could be a little out of whack but I do agree he needs to get better Defensively and I think that could be said for just about all of the D so far from that draft year. I dont think anyone is head and shoulders above the other they all got their pros and cons so… for what it worth among them, Id take Lindholm or Rielly as the best of em, you can teach a guy to be decent Defensively, cant teach a guy to be a gifted skater and playmaker like both those guys are. Ill take guys like Subban and Karlsson everyday of the week over some of the more overrated big D….its just the way the game is going and evolving. Need guy who can make plays more than guys who block shots and chip pucks out.
its funny yankee spouts off making something out of nothing I said nothing wrong all I said was in my opinion reilly has to work on the defensive side of his game needs to work on his positioning that’s it! I didn’t say he was a bad player all young dmen need work defensively when they are young like shticky said! yankee you really need to worry about your opinion a quit being such a little tattle tail… seriously man up
lol! lol!
Did I mention your name boy ? A little paranoid arent you ?
lol with that comment your calling lyle stupid aren’t you?
Shticky, of course Rielly has work to do on the defensive aspects of his game.
What you need to acknowledge, though, is that far from him being weak defensively on a weak team D, in actual fact, his usage – highest D zone starts % on the team with Hunwick and the highest competition corsi % in the NHL – suggest that he is a relative defensive stalwart.
If you don’t subscribe to stats then just use your head: Babcock sees him as his best option for defensive zone starts against the the other team’s top lines. Better than Phaneuf or Polak were, for example. At 21.
Ummmm….I’m ok with Striker. So some of us do care. Yet I don’t care for the ad hominem arguments many of you utilize. I mean right or wrong an attack rarely bolsters one’s position and when it comes down to matters of opinion just let them be aired with little regard to who is right or wrong.
that’s the thing tho dan they have to start someone in the defensive zone.. I don’t how much hockey you have played dan but its pretty easy to see his warts in his own end some dmen catch on some don’t but right now you can use stats but im sure even babcock can see how he is playing in his own zone and more than likely working on it in practise
I am not getting in to big bears debate, yes Dan you are right about his zone starts and his competition, but if you look at adv stats you will notice his CA/60 (shots attempted against per 60 mins) is one of the highest of any top pairing type guy in the leagie at 5.1, and the majority are from the right side and inclose. Now you could argue that hos partner is Hunwick but of it was due to Hunwick those shots would tend to be from the leftside they’re not and Hunwick without Rielly CA actually goes down…the same thing applies to the rest of the team the CA/60 actually it is less without Rielly on the ice. If you compare it to Gardiner shot attempts against with Rielly are 5.1 shot attempts with Gardiner who you and big bear both have questioned in the past defensively is -4.8 its a a big difference (Gardiner is the best allround D on the team) Rielly is not great defensively he recovers
pucks less than the team avg…but as I said it takes time and he is nvm elite for his age or draft year at generating offense he is one of the best D right now in the league at generating offense at 5 on 5 period whoch is amazing considering how inept Toronto is at scoring.
An intersesting thing about the shots attempt agains is when Rielly was palying more second pairing minutes he was actually much better defensively 1.1 CA still not evenclose to Gardiner who is currently getting thos type minutes and zone starts and as mentioned is -4. Could be a bit of a concern that as he 8s getting older and getti g more minutes his CA seems to be skyrocketing and not plateauing or decreasing.
If yakupov is a bust,drouin must be to?If your not a scout george and do not watch these players all the time and rate there developement maybe you should zip it!
Ahh geez. Sorry there Bill. I didn’t realize I needed YOUR expert input before stating an opinion. Practice what you preach.
Sabres have cap space and extra picks? I fear what Tim Murray might do next. This team had a promising future until Murray started dealing. Now, what you see is what you get.
I love what Murray has done. Great young hockey team with boat loads of cash/cap space.
Getting Ryan O’Reilly 1 of the elite 2 way centers in the NHL out of Colorado was brilliant. This type of asset is exceedingly rare. Just a notch below #1 Dman.
Signing Franson to bridge the gap at D for very decent money gets them to this summer’s UFA market which is solid every where but at Google.
Getting Lehner who if he can stay healthy is an above average NHL goalie.
He positioned this club to garner solid high picks in crucial draft years. Buffalo will get another stud prospect to add to a very good stable of prospects now.
I love what Murray has done & with at least 1 if not 2 UFA Dman signed this summer I really like Buffalo moving forward.
Lehner is the key to whether Murray will be a success in Buffalo.
Moulson was a horrible signing.
You don’t give up that much for Kane, a player would already looked like he was on the outside as a teammate before he left Atlanta. Winnipeg experience confirmed that. He missed several opportunities Saturday, as he has all season. I like Bogo though, as I did when he was here in ATL.
I give Buffalo alotta credit for sticking with Larsson.
Hopefully Kane matures. Still only 24, turns 25 in August. I didn’t start to settle down until I was 25 & it took my parents threatening to disown me. Ha-ha!
I didn’t like the Moulson signing either specifically but we need to see Buffalo’s roster healthy to gauge how it all fits together. Girgensons centering Moulson & Ennis played very well for Buffalo down the stretch last season.
Murray came out just recently questioning Moulson’s conditioning which may explain why his role changed so significantly this season. Always a concern with a new coach & so many personal changes. His TOI/GP is down by over 5 mins a game; 5:22. His PP TOI/GP has dropped from the 3rd highest on the team last season to 10th this season. Gionta who only has nominally more points is getting significantly better ice time & line mates. Hard to score when your playing with Legwand & Catenacci, Legwand & Deslauriers prior to that.
Hopefully he shows up bttter able to contribute next year as that 5 mil cap hit for 3 more years looks really bad.
Good input Striker – as usual
Kane should have been left in juniors at 18 to mature a little more but Thrasher mismanagement brought him to the NHL before he was ready, just like Bogosian. At least Bogo came around, Kane still hasn’t yet.
Thrasher management destroyed the team – what a waste
Kane has some solid skills but injures & maturity have limited his abilities. Hopefully he can get back to his pre lockout ways. He looked to be a solid 30 goal 65 point winger & may yet be.
As far as E Kane goes. he is a fantastic fantasy player. 😛
Mark, do you understand why teams collect draft picks? You are allowed 50 contracts…period. If you have 20+ drafts picks over a 2 year period you aren’t going to sign them all so you use them as assets to make trades and this is what GMTM did. What did Buffalo really give up to get ROR…Zadorov? Grigorenko was going nowhere in this organization and the nbr 1 used was an asset…what else did the Sabres have to acquire ROR? The trade with Winnipeg I have no problem with as I take it Myers for Bogo and the rest for Kane-Stafford wasn’t returning as a UFA, Lemieux (wasn’t signing here) and the 1st may turn into something and Armia shows no signs yet to adapting to the North American game. Lehner has been solid with a .930 save pct. so Murray may have his nbr 1 goalie. Yes, the cupboard is thinning out but that’s part of the process.
Murray admitted he was looking to make hockey trades at the deadline but couldn’t because of the cap restraints of the other teams and bet your a$$ those trades will be revisited at the draft. Murray likes to make a splash and what better timing then with the draft here in Buffalo.
Watch what Toronto does at the draft…guaranteed they don’t use the 12 picks they have to make selections…they will be looking to make trades and maybe moving up to get a specific player.
Great comments Lenny. Especially about the 50 pro contracts (not saying you Mark). A lot of people do not know about that.
Everything being equal, Fluto Shinzawa analysis of availablity of the defensiev side is a sound argument, until you factor in the facy young defenders who are still showing confidence and upside are simply more valuable commodities than forwards, so unless the jury has completely reached a verdict (ala Jared Cowen five yr. on the job training mediocrity) on a young defender, EVEN if they are on a CAP CRUNCH yeam, even if they are trying to fill their pockets as a non bridge RFA, THEY STILL HAVE FAR MORE VALUE than the forwards/picks a Boston would want to send in exchange.
Whether we are talking about a more polished Brodin, or each and any of the “Ducksters,” the Minn & Anaheim teams probably get a better rate of exchange that he thinks is going to be some bargain basement sale.
Since the possibilty of teams actually trading top two defenders is rare, and even trading true top three defenders, it seems excellent logic for the oilers to send two (RNH & Yakupov) forwards somewhere IF they truly can get a top 2-3 guy.
And although the Edmtn press seems to think keeping RNHopkins fills their coaches bill of strength down the middle, it’s tough to see RNH as a thrid line type centre since it is clear you use Draisaitl as your 2nd centre against the big opposing centres.
So if RNH can get the Oil any of those experienced youngsters mentioned above, it seems like the best play, if they can’t find some loopy NHL GM willing to trade away a REAL top two defenseman…
First of all Bill, I read the article nowhere did Shinzawa say there was a basement bargin deal. If the Ducks were to move one of their d because of self impose salary cap, that would indicate that there not looking to take back a big salary, so a group of prospects and or picks may get the job done, and in that case the bruins are loaded.
RNH and Eberle both make $6m per and have term left. That has to be factored into a move, especially if the team is moving a young defenseman because of cap (internal or not) related.
So…you think Fluto Shinzawa is saying the Bruins WILL cough up REAL players to acquire those more valuable than forward young defenders?
Because I am saying they would have to, that they aren’t getting a good one without substantial return going the other way.
No more no less.
and by real players I mean REAL PROSPECTS too. Like developing defenders like Jakub Zboril or Brandon Carlo, or forward ake DeBrusk, not guys who already seem stuck in the developmental mud like Subban, Morrow, or Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson.
The Bruins giving up David Pastrnak? or Zachary Senyshyn?
because Caper, the rest of the Bruins prospects are
Bill,
Shows how very little you know or follow with the Boston Bruins….
“not guys who already seem stuck in the developmental mud like Subban, Morrow, or Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson”
Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson was drafted in 2015 in the 2nd round, not sure how he’s stuck in the developmental mud… J. Morrow is up with the big club and was acquired in a trade. I would not consider J. Morrow a prospect by any means or a valuable asset and NHL caliber goaltenders always take a long time to develop so it’s difficult to say what M. Subban is at this point other than he’s extremely athletic and has the physical build to be a great goalie in the NHL… he’s played 1 game in the NHL so you can’t state he’s stuck in the developmental mud but that’s an opinion I guess.
Bill,
I agree that defenseman hold more value than forwards but what type of package do you think Boston would send in order to trade for one of those players, don’t be so sure that Shinzawa feels they’d get a bargain or anything of that matter.
Dan, some drafts just don’t yield the same elite upside prospects, even selecting early on. Not talking about the obvious generational drafts either, just simply that despite all the watching and tire kicking, all those high level skills can many times never come together as a high level pro, because the competition shrinks their advantages and signals they have a lot a work ahead to make it on the world’s biggest stage.
That is unquestionably true, Bill. But even if you accept that that draft was a weaker group, which I think is mostly people looking at the lack of elite scoring forwards and ignoring the depth and quality of defenders – not to mention their importance, as you pointed out – Yakupov has still been a complete bust of a pick.
If Edmonton wins the draft lottery again I’ll puke
I Believe I will sit back and have a drink and log on here and read how all you guys spent the day puking while I kick back with a huge smile. I don’t get why we care how many times one team wins the lottery. Just don’t get it.
However I am hoping that something like a 9th place team wins the lottery in the hopes it curbs future tanking jobs. I’m a Sens fan so read whatever bias you want into this yet one thing is for sure the Sens aren’t trying to lose. From management right down to the call ups. Everyone on that team is trying to win. They just aren’t. I would love to see a team like the Sens who fall just outside the playoffs by a spot or two win the lottery. Philly perhaps, NJ, Carolina, Colorado or Vancouver. Right now if a team wins in the standings where one of these teams sit right now I’d be smiling all day.
Many are annoyed simply because it’s become a reward for futility. The idea is to improve your team and after it becomes apparent that a team’s lack of success st ems from incompetence, why reward that time after time after time?
I still don’t get it. The top pick is often not the best pick. If Edmonton picked second the year they took Yakupov or the year they took Hall(even though I really like Hall) I can put a sound argument in place they’d be much better off. Just because you get top pick doesn’t guarantee you anything. People assume that the top pick equals automatic success and a team who selects top will automatically be good. That obviously is not the case as we have numerous examples of top picks not panning out. Often times the top player in the draft is found in after the 1rst team picks. Often times the 2nd pick or 3rd pick in a draft is much better. So who cares if Edmonton once again gets the top pick. The runner up or the next guy will likely be the top guy. Not every draft the top guy is McDavid. I’d take Seguin over Hall and anyone over Yakupov.
Could be another busy off season for the Boston Bruins and GM Don Sweeney. Sweeney will only have around $48m invested in 12 players, so he’ll have plenty of room to work within the cap ceiling and likely will leave some room for in-season or deadline moves. I also feel the Bruins will resign Brad Marchand to a long term contract this off season, choosing to be proactive instead of waiting like they did with Loui Eriksson (still feel they botched that entire process/ live and learn I guess).
The Boston Bruins also have 2 first round picks, a 2nd round pick and possibly another 2nd round pick if Edmonton decides it to be this year (Chiarelli compensation), unfortunately no 3rd or 4th round picks but the Bruins made so many additions this past draft and the number of non-drafted signings… really no need for those unless they’re to be used in trades. I think the 1st and 2nd round picks are the important ones by means of talent and traceable assets anyways.
Chad, I don’t think Sweeney botched the Ericksson non move. From what I read and heard, the bruins were not offered a 1st round pick nor were they offered 2 2nd round picks. If anything what Sweeney did was inform the league that he wasn’t going to be low balled for his player. This decision is more about the future then it was about the day. GM that thought the rookie GM would give up the player for a 2nd round pick or lower, now know not to waste their time. Also Boston is a playoff team and if your getting a decent return keep him he’s going to help you get there. They could still trade is rights for a 3rd round pick in the off season.
Caper,
I have heard the same through reports and Cam Neely publicly stating that a few days ago, also I didn’t say non move… I said entire process as in signing or fail to sign as well. If the team was high on Eriksson, and was interested in keeping the player long term, part of the core, future going forward, or whatever other BS you want to insert as many GM’s spit out… they should’ve signed him in the off season or far before the trade deadline. I’m sure the value of the contract and terms would have looked a lot different in this past off season versus what it could look like this coming off season. I think his overall play has made his next contract become much higher in both term/AAV.
My concern/gripe/complaint I guess because honestly I do like Sweeney and I think they’ve done a good job thus far in 1 season, drafting, signing, trading, ect. but my complaint is that if this team is rebuilding then rebuild, if they’re making a run and were interested in the run then they should’ve tried and signed Eriksson in the off season. If they knew they couldn’t sign him throughout the season, and it feels that way because of how far apart they were then they should’ve been more proactive in moving the player before the deadline. Obviously we all know how talented Eriksson is, they may have not been offered a 1st or two 2nds come deadline day or day before but then again they could have entirely missed the market or market could’ve dropped because they waited. That’s all.
Chad- Also the depth Boston has in Providence is crazy Vatrano is lighting it up and Koko and Griff are playing really well. Bruins need to sign Marchand this summer and decide what to do with Krug. Sign him long term or do they think Miller can take over for him?
Frank Vatrano isn’t lighting it up, he’s absolutely tearing apart the AHL right now. No other player even comes close at this point, his goals scored to games played ratio is something I haven’t seen in a long long time. He scored an unassisted hat trick last night, including the game winner… hasn’t been done since the early 90s. Impressive is the least we can all say about him. Seth Griffith is 2nd in overall scoring in the AHL. Beyond the AHL level, Zachary Senyshyn is 5th overall in the OHL in goals scored and more often then not they’re highlight reel goals. Jesse Gabrielle is 3rd overall in goals scored in the WHL this season with 40g and 74 pts overall through 67 games.
The future in Boston is quite bright IMO, and those are only the most recently notable names because the list goes deeper than that. On Krug, depends on what he wants in terms of yearly and term I guess, because honestly I like C. Miller and after this season I think he projects to be in the lineup daily for the Bruins in 2016-2017. Marchand they should absolutely sign this off season in hopes he has another productive season like he is now in 2016-2017… if they wait and he produces again next season then the price may go up slightly again. I think they’re already at $7m-$8m per and 6-8 years already.
Chad, you can add Danton Heinen (Denver) player of the month for Feb in NCAA with 15pts in 6 games and Rob O’Gara (Yale) considered the best defensive defenseman in the league. Future is bright, I hope.
Good call I missed him!
As I stated last week, I think Edmonton could be in a good position to change the dynamics of their team. First they could package a couple of their core to Anaheim for Lindholm, Vatamen or Fowler, then win the lottery or the first pick (top 3) and player/procpect to Minny for Brodin/Dumba. Edmonton could end up with Lindholm, Brodin, Nurse and Elfbom as their top 4. Still having Macdavid, Hall, Draistl. I think the Oilers have the assets to make it happen but will they, there team would certainly look different and better.
im hoping for basically the same moves by Edmonton. Move their first rounder and a solid player and solid prospect for a couple young dmen. Not sure if they can get a young guy with #1 dman potential as the only guy like that i can remember being traded is Seth Jones. And Oilers aren’t moving Hall or McDavid which they would have to do. I agree trade the #2 pick (assuming thats what they get) along with Yakupov to St.L for Shattenkirk (assuming he agrees to an immediate extension). then move RNH in a package deal for one of Fowler, Vatanen, Lindholm, Brodin, Dumba, Hamonic. I would be pretty jacked if the Oilers send out for next season
Brodin/Shattenkirk
Nurse/Sekera
Davidson/Klefbom
Reinhart
As a first overall pick , yes Yak is a bust. Here is the closet I could find for a comparison
Yak drafted 1st overall 2012 entry draft 238 games played 104 points
Jacob Silverbeg 39th overall 2009 245 games 104 points.
Galchenyuk same draft as Yak 3rd overall 259 games 145 points.
Doing the draft again Yak would most likely be a mid 1st rounder but his stats show he should be lower then that.
I seen Provorov with Brandon a few times this week in person. Definate 1A prospect!There is no possible way the flyers will send him back to junior next year-he is already dominating now. To make room either Streit or Schultz will probably be moved. If moved after July 1st Streit’s actual cash hit is less than his CAP hit.
Yeah, he’s a stud. I don’t think the Flyers were the only team that recognized it. The Leafs tried to talk CBJ into trading up for the #4 pick, but they felt comfortable waiting for Werenski at #8. Had the Leafs been in CBJ’s slot, pretty sure they would have taken Provorov who would be the next highest Dman with Hanifin and Werenski then off the board.
Taking any player who chooses the college route is not with out peril. It takes no time for those players to become UFA’s under the existing CBA. I sure hope Werenski doesn’t pull a Schultz; Anaheim, or K. Hayes; Chicago, on Columbus. At least as a 1st round pick your garunteed compensation but losing a player of that calabre for the 61st selection is little comfort potentially.
Going to be curious to see what Jim Vesey; Nashville, chooses to do. I stashed him in all my fantasy leagues almost 2 months ago.
Striker, I can tell you that after essentially hiring his family we’re ready to go to press with the Vesey jerseys here in Toronto. Ditto Zaitsev. It can’t be lost on these young men the success that Shoshnikov has had here recently with the team in the stage that it is in.
Agreed
Drouin reports. Isn’t that shocking. Doesn’t surprise me at all & I implied as much numerous times much to the abuse of many of you. He put a gun to Yzerman’s head & lost. Now he has to return & play, as a year out of hockey is really bad for such a young player. Now if he gets his head out of his a– he’ll get a shot at a cup with TB if he starts to do as he’s told, which is learn to play the system & team game. Something he’s refused to do to date & the only reason he isn’t playing in TB now. He’ll be the 1st call up if he moves the puck, plays a north south game as demanded by Cooper as opposed to over handling the puck & playing east west game like in Jr.
Now he can increase his value & will garner Yzerman & TB a significantly better return if & when he’s moved. This is playing out just about perfectly after his little tantrum. The premadona gets to learn he’s not above the game.
speaking of premadonas…..
Ok. I’ll play.
You got those 60 names ready yet littlebear? I’m still waiting. Did you take the time to go check yourself?
Why don’t you lend some value to the conversation with something other than an opinion or a confrontational response totally unrelated to the debate or discussion, dick head remarks are the domain of pricks. Although your being a prick seems like a trend but I think we’ve read enough to accept it as fact, at least 80% of the time. Ha-ha!
Are you able to substantiate an argument supported by anything other than an opinion?
sticks and stones striker lol
littlebear they use sticks & stones in curling, were talking about hockey.
see you don’t even know how hockey originated striker! geez
I remember a time when I bigbear made sense but is now quickly turning into a troll. Pretty annoying all around – but that’s the point, right BB?
aren’t you trolling taz?
you would know
Smart move for the player to swallow his pride when he was so clearly in the wrong. If he plays well now, the damage will be minimized.
Agreed. This way everyone should win when and if Drouin is dealt.
On an off topic its too bad there isnt a flag comment button.
All good. I’ll play if littlebear wants.
The Drouin situation now has the makings of a fairy tail. He goes to Syracuse gets his conditioning, timing & legs back. He learns the system, gets called up with the Blackaces if not sooner & goes on a cup run with TB making a significant contribution.
Great for everyone involved.