The don godfather
Registered User
We have a trade to announce. Bruins trade 7th overall pick for ep40 30 percent cap retained by canucks. Whose in?
You will have to ask Dom or another authority, but I would say Martin, then Desnoyers a level down from Martin and Eklund is at a high level too.Who is the most competitive player in the top10?
If I were betting money, that's who I'd bet Sweeney will pick. He talked a lot at the end of season press conference about how competitive the elite players at the 4Nations were. I think that quality, more than anything else, is going to drive his 2025 off-season.
Who is the most competitive player in the top10?
If I were betting money, that's who I'd bet Sweeney will pick. He talked a lot at the end of season press conference about how competitive the elite players at the 4Nations were. I think that quality, more than anything else, is going to drive his 2025 off-season.
Not me, definitely not. And your talking to someone who thinks/feels they may have something cooking with the Canucks.We have a trade to announce. Bruins trade 7th overall pick for ep40 30 percent cap retained by canucks. Whose in?
Ep40Not me, definitely not, and your talking to someone who thinks/feels they may have something cooking with the Canucks.
God he's nasty
Looks a lot like the ‘23-‘24 Canucks when Petterson had 1g 6a in 13 playoff games, and Lindholm had 5g 5a in the same.Ep40
Elias lindholm
Pavel zacha
Fraser minton/ poitras
That looks like some serious center depth if you ask me.
You will have to ask Dom or another authority, but I would say Martin, then Desnoyers a level down from Martin and Eklund is at a high level too.
Who is the most competitive player in the top10?
If I were betting money, that's who I'd bet Sweeney will pick. He talked a lot at the end of season press conference about how competitive the elite players at the 4Nations were. I think that quality, more than anything else, is going to drive his 2025 off-season.
Interesting that you have O'Brien so high. He is really growing on me.Well, I am going to rephrase the question to "who is more consistently competitive" because all of these guys have shifts off, games off, stretches off. I've watched these guys a lot, not just this season, but their draft minus-1 season and I would rank "consistently competitive" in this order:
Schaefer
Aitcheson
Eklund
O'Brien
Martin
Misa
Hagens
Desnoyers
Martone
McQueen
Those are my top-10. I had a tough time putting Schaefer ahead of Aitcheson. However, just because Aitcheson is more competitive consistently, doesn't mean he should be drafted ahead of anyone on the list.
No one better go off of competitiveness alone.
Well, I am going to rephrase the question to "who is more consistently competitive" because all of these guys have shifts off, games off, stretches off. I've watched these guys a lot, not just this season, but their draft minus-1 season and I would rank "consistently competitive" in this order:
Schaefer
Aitcheson
Eklund
O'Brien
Martin
Misa
Hagens
Desnoyers
Martone
McQueen
Those are my top-10. I had a tough time putting Schaefer ahead of Aitcheson. However, just because Aitcheson is more competitive consistently, doesn't mean he should be drafted ahead of anyone on the list.
No one better go off of competitiveness alone.
I think he should be growing on you. He has the tools and the potential to be a first line center. However, people smarter than me are going to have to figure out whether they think he can reach it. Because we all know, the vast majority do not.Interesting that you have O'Brien so high. He is really growing on me.
You always use that line: “people smarter than me”. For the sake of fun, I’d like to see who you had us taking vs who we took in the first two rounds over the last 10 years. That would be a good read.I think he should be growing on you. He has the tools and the potential to be a first line center. However, people smarter than me are going to have to figure out whether they think he can reach it. Because we all know, the vast majority do not.
I mean damn, hard not to get excited about that article. I imagine teams will get access to his full medicals as well? Unless there’s some kind of rule against that.McQueen feels ‘100 percent’ at NHL Scouting Combine after back injury | NHL.com
The 2025 NHL Scouting Combine presented by Fanatics is taking place this week at KeyBank Center and LECOM Harborcenter in Buffalo. The combine will allow NHL teams an opportunity to conduct interviews and provide physical and medical assessments of the top prospects eligible for the 2025 Upper Deck NHL Draft. NHL.com will bring you all the sights and sounds.
BUFFALO -- Roger McQueen understands the NHL Scouting Combine might be more important to him than any of the other 89 players here this week.
But the 18-year-old center with Brandon of the Western Hockey League already is off to a good start -- he's fully cleared to take part in the combine fitness testing on Friday and Saturday.
McQueen was limited to 17 games because of a fracture in his lower back. He played the first eight games of the season, then was out for almost five months, returning March 4.
"It was obviously huge to be able to get the sign," McQueen said Monday. "I kind of knew, just because, like, I've been pain-free for a while now. So, I kind of knew I was going to be cleared. Obviously, especially for me, a hurt guy, not playing all year, (it’s important) just to see that you're healthy."
McQueen said his back issue actually began while playing for Canada at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August 2023. At one point, it was misdiagnosed as a bulging disk.
He played through pain during the 2023-24 season but still had 51 points (21 goals, 30 assists) in 53 games, and was able to play at the 2024 IIHF World Under-18 Championship. When he still was having issues this season, McQueen visited spine surgeon Dr. Jay Toor in Winnipeg, who diagnosed the spinal fracture between his L4 and L5 vertebrae and got him onto a proper healing regimen.
"He's the reason I'm doing great now," McQueen said. "He was awesome there and he found the fracture, so (we) got that figured out. Took six weeks off, it was kind of halfway healed, took another six (weeks), 75 (percent healed), and then took another six, and then that got us to 95 (percent) and then basically said, 'Yeah, you're good to play.'"
McQueen sustained another injury during the WHL playoffs that limited him to three games. He said it was a muscle issue related to the back fracture that healed after two weeks of rest.
"One to 10, I'm at a 10, pain-free now, and there's no symptoms for the last while," McQueen said. "So, it's been awesome, and I probably haven't felt better in the last three years."
McQueen (6-foot-5, 197 pounds) is No. 8 in NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters, and at his best is reminiscent of Buffalo Sabres center Tage Thompson.
One of his goals for the week is letting NHL teams know that the back issue is a thing of the past.
"From all the [doctors] we've talked to, they've all said it's not something that continues," he said. "It's like breaking your arm, and then the chance of breaking it again. It's a healed bone. So, yeah, it's been awesome, and I feel 100 percent."
Penn State pool party possible for Misa
Michael Misa hasn't decided where he'll play next season, and the Saginaw forward wouldn't rule out joining his older brother, Calgary Flames forward prospect Luke Misa, at Penn State University.
Misa led the Ontario Hockey League this season with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists) in 65 games. The 18-year-old is No. 2 in Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters.
Michael said he and Luke, 19, have never played on the same team.
"The chance to play with him has been a dream for a while," he said. "It's never actually happened, but maybe someday it will."
If they end up together, they can rekindle their pool rivalry; there's a billiards table in the basement of the family house, and Michael said, "The stakes get pretty intense there."
Who's the better player?
"That's actually my brother," Michael said. "He has a book where he kind of reads through it and studies the game a bit. I more just play for fun. But we do get pretty competitive. ... I want to say I'm better, but I'm not right now, so I definitely got to keep practicing."
I'd prefer Schaefer, Misa or Hagens in that order. But that's not happening.Dom, have you said who you prefer out of the group hanging around 7 yet?
I'd prefer Schaefer, Misa or Hagens in that order. But that's not happening.Dom, have you said who you prefer out of the group hanging around 7 yet?
That's too much work. I have better luck with signing NCAA free agents.You always use that line: “people smarter than me”. For the sake of fun, I’d like to see who you had us taking vs who we took in the first two rounds over the last 10 years. That would be a good read.
Pass, they need to take on CM in any deal that I would make.We have a trade to announce. Bruins trade 7th overall pick for ep40 30 percent cap retained by canucks. Whose in?
Any thoughts on why O'Brien's even strength production is lower than his peers?I think he should be growing on you. He has the tools and the potential to be a first line center. However, people smarter than me are going to have to figure out whether they think he can reach it. Because we all know, the vast majority do not.
Well, I am going to rephrase the question to "who is more consistently competitive" because all of these guys have shifts off, games off, stretches off. I've watched these guys a lot, not just this season, but their draft minus-1 season and I would rank "consistently competitive" in this order:
Schaefer
Aitcheson
Eklund
O'Brien
Martin
Misa
Hagens
Desnoyers
Martone
McQueen
Those are my top-10. I had a tough time putting Schaefer ahead of Aitcheson. However, just because Aitcheson is more competitive consistently, doesn't mean he should be drafted ahead of anyone on the list.
No one better go off of competitiveness alone.
Utah wants to trade their #4 pick for a top 6 forward now. Make Geekie a final offer and if he rejects it offer him to Utah and throw in whatever extra it takes.
Yes I have thoughts on it.Any thoughts on why O'Brien's strength production?
O'Brien 48 ES Points 50 PP Points
Martin 59 ES Points 13 PP Points
Desnoyer 65 ES Points, 29 PP Points
Martone 69 ES Points 29 PP Points
Of course, his power play production is twice as strong as everyone else's.