Around the League 45: The Stanley Cup is in God's Waiting Room

[Tryamw]

Despite all my rage I'm still just a stickpucker in a cage.

Did you kick the Rat out or do you share?

 

[DaveG]

My guess without looking it up is Namestikov is probably the best pick, who was used as a trade chip to get Miller/McDonaugh but Namestikov is still in the league.

Drouin and Connolly were both strike-outs.



Yeah I remember Chia being regarded as a genuis after that Kessel trade. Then we saw his drafts weren't very good and he got robbed by Dallas for Seguin.

either Namestikov or TDA, yep, it's THAT bad.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

My guess without looking it up is Namestikov is probably the best pick, who was used as a trade chip to get Miller/McDonaugh but Namestikov is still in the league.

Drouin and Connolly were both strike-outs.



Yeah I remember Chia being regarded as a genuis after that Kessel trade. Then we saw his drafts weren't very good and he got robbed by Dallas for Seguin.

Over a 4 offseason period: Seguin trade, Reinhart trade (Barzal), Sekera signing, Lucic signing, Hall trade, Puljujarvi pick.

He could get another chance at some point and be successful with it, but his reputation will never recover.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Holy f***, if this is true, no wonder that Cbus locker room was messed up:

https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets/latest-news/were-players-who-spoke-out-against-patrik-laine-and-elvis-merz%C4%BCikins-traded-to-protect-them

Laine (and Roslovic) was traded to Cbus for PLD (and a 3rd) in January 2021.

I mean, this is just poor leadership and culture from the top down and all around. Getting rid of Laine and Merzlikens when those guys asked wouldn't have solved their problems either lol. Those guys should focus on doing their jobs and being leaders to try to help get all the other guys to buy in. Not just say get rid of them.

 

[Lempo]

I mean, this is just poor leadership and culture from the top down and all around. Getting rid of Laine and Merzlikens when those guys asked wouldn't have solved their problems either lol. Those guys should focus on doing their jobs and being leaders to try to help get all the other guys to buy in. Not just say get rid of them.

It happens.

Reports circulated Sunday about a very uncomfortable situation between Toronto Maple Leafs former head coach Mike Babcock and Mitch Marner back in his rookie season. Today Marner confirmed that the “list incident” where Babcock asked him to rank his teammates from hardest working to those with the least work ethic, which he then shared with the players, is in fact true.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

It happens.

Seems like the kind of guy the Blue Jackets should definitely hire for their head coach...

 

[NotOpie]

One of the bigger issues for evaluating Yzerman is that Detroit's rebuild is rather incomplete. A lot of their (IMO overly) panned UFA signings are stopgap veterans specifically signed in order for their youngsters to develop carefully in the minors. Most of their draft picks in the Yzerman era haven't matriculated to the NHL yet.

When I look at Yzerman's drafting record w/Detroit, it may yet flourish, but it doesn't look that way right now.

He's got two very good picks in Seider and Raymond. Maybe Berggren pans out as he looks to be on that trajectory. Edvinsson seems poised to take the next step, yet if he doesn't this season, then their future blue line looks pretty shaky.

But his more recent picks, even the ones who've matriculated to the AHL are all kinda meh. Even the highly touted Wallinder hasn't really shown anything yet. Of the rest of the also-rans, only the Czech, Rychlovsky seems to be progressing.

He has, however, put together a team that, if it is to make the playoffs, will do so scoring lots of goals and giving up just a few less. Tarasenko, Kane, Debrincat, Larkin, and Raymond will provide punch. That defense, however, is like a bluegrass band that features Jerry Garcia - Old And In The Way.

 

[HisIceness]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826651306356080895

Hoping Pittsburgh gives up a good amount but probably just some picks.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1826651306356080895

Hoping Pittsburgh gives up a good amount but probably just some picks.

Yager. 14th OA the draft after McGroarty.

 

[DaveG]

was probably either that or an unprotected first, I wouldn't be surprised if Winnipeg wins this deal either way though.

 

[MinJaBen]

Yager. 14th OA the draft after McGroarty.

Yager coming on board the Jets? Seems pretty obvious...

I know, spelled differently. Don't @ me.

 

[Stickpucker]

Did you kick the Rat out or do you share?

I ate that lil bugger.

 

[hblueridgegal]

Missed my moment..headed to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland next week..would have loved to have seen these two there.

 

[sabremike]

When I look at Yzerman's drafting record w/Detroit, it may yet flourish, but it doesn't look that way right now.

He's got two very good picks in Seider and Raymond. Maybe Berggren pans out as he looks to be on that trajectory. Edvinsson seems poised to take the next step, yet if he doesn't this season, then their future blue line looks pretty shaky.

But his more recent picks, even the ones who've matriculated to the AHL are all kinda meh. Even the highly touted Wallinder hasn't really shown anything yet. Of the rest of the also-rans, only the Czech, Rychlovsky seems to be progressing.

He has, however, put together a team that, if it is to make the playoffs, will do so scoring lots of goals and giving up just a few less. Tarasenko, Kane, Debrincat, Larkin, and Raymond will provide punch. That defense, however, is like a bluegrass band that features Jerry Garcia - Old And In The Way.

If you look at what both had to work with and what they've done can you really argue that Stevie Y has done a better job than Kevyn Adams? Yet our fans have lost all patience with KA and want him shown the door if this season ends in failure while Wings fans are seemingly unanimous in their support of Stevie Y.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

I feel like Adams hasn't had enough time to be evaluated yet. I like most of the moves Adams has made in a vacuum. However, I wouldn't have committed so long to the core that hasn't made the playoffs yet. To me, I'd rather give them bridge deals, money later be damned, and try to keep the group hungry and motivated. I just don't like the message of locking everyone in to 8 year deals.

Also, I always find it weird that GMs get blamed for drafting. I get that they're the head of the organization, so the drafting staff is theirs. A good GM, in my book, lets the scouts do the drafting and just gets out of the way.

The biggest failure I see of most GMs is their bias towards the present and lack of foresight for future years. It's part of why I'm a Borg apologist as the Hurricanes are always future oriented, sometimes to the point of being painful.

 

[A Star is Burns]

If you look at what both had to work with and what they've done can you really argue that Stevie Y has done a better job than Kevyn Adams? Yet our fans have lost all patience with KA and want him shown the door if this season ends in failure while Wings fans are seemingly unanimous in their support of Stevie Y.

But you see, Sabres fans don't have memories of Kevyn Adams winning Cups on teams stacked with Hall of Famers sitting in the spank bank to flog the dolphin to through the tears of his failures as a GM. Completely different sitch.

 

[DaveG]

I feel like Adams hasn't had enough time to be evaluated yet. I like most of the moves Adams has made in a vacuum. However, I wouldn't have committed so long to the core that hasn't made the playoffs yet. To me, I'd rather give them bridge deals, money later be damned, and try to keep the group hungry and motivated. I just don't like the message of locking everyone in to 8 year deals.

Also, I always find it weird that GMs get blamed for drafting. I get that they're the head of the organization, so the drafting staff is theirs. A good GM, in my book, lets the scouts do the drafting and just gets out of the way.

The biggest failure I see of most GMs is their bias towards the present and lack of foresight for future years. It's part of why I'm a Borg apologist as the Hurricanes are always future oriented, sometimes to the point of being painful.

I think in a lot of instances the first round picks are the GM, especially the early picks. I can think of a few notable picks through the years where that's been the case: our scouts liked Mark Staal more than Johnson, JR and Karmanos thought otherwise. Edmonton's scouts were pushing for them to NOT take Yakupov at #1 and to trade down, Lowe and Katz overrode them, iirc some of Philly's scouts had Makar ahead of Patrick, correctly.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Friedman saying Askarov to SJ. Didn't really see how it made sense for us.

 

[TheReelChuckFletcher]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827071641589051394

Makes total sense. There's no better place for a young goalie to make his name in the big leagues than the worst team in the league.

 

[cptjeff]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1827076952554901701

 

[DaveG]

Friedman saying Askarov to SJ. Didn't really see how it made sense for us.

Yep, we were never going to do the three headed monster thing in net for a second season in a row. He would have had to be fine with playing in the A for us as well and if that's the reason he's forcing his way out of Nashville then San Jose and Colorado were always the two places that made the most sense.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Interesting price. Certainly nothing that feels like it hurts from the SJ side but also a couple of good assets for what's still an unproven young goalie. I wouldn't have minded a similar price but I still just see the moving parts we would have needed to pull off to be challenging at this point in the offseason.

 

[Brock Anton]

I've been harsh on Grier, but essentially moving Hertl for Askarov is a pretty shrewd move.

 

[Nikishin Go Boom]

I would have matched that offer. SJ didn’t give up much of big value. Its unlikely that Vegas pick is lottery level.

 

[HisIceness]

San Jose is building something awesome. I'm not 100% sold on their blue-line but they've got a few more drafts to build one.

Regarding Kevyn Adams, the one thing I've noticed about him is he seems to be liked by everyone in that front office. The Sabres do a great video series on their YouTube channel where they go behind the scenes prior to the draft, free agency, trade deadline etc. In one of the videos the head scout said something about how Adams listens to everyone and everyone gets a say. From what I can tell, Botterill and Murray did everything on their own.

Seems like Adams is building similar to our team, they want to end the playoff drought but don't want to miss the playoffs the following year and so on.

San Jose is building something awesome. I'm not 100% sold on their blue-line but they've got a few more drafts to build one.

Regarding Kevyn Adams, the one thing I've noticed about him is he seems to be liked by everyone in that front office. The Sabres do a great video series on their YouTube channel where they go behind the scenes prior to the draft, free agency, trade deadline etc. In one of the videos the head scout said something about how Adams listens to everyone and everyone gets a say. From what I can tell, Botterill and Murray did everything on their own.

Seems like Adams is building similar to our team, they want to end the playoff drought but don't want to miss the playoffs the following year and so on.