Around the League thread: Phil in Pitt. And other NHL topics

[Dugath]

Meh, it doesn't even matter if they're in the race to the bottom or not. We all know they're gonna win another ****ing lottery and then continue to flounder.

At least they can not get the 1st over all by the new rules (if I am not mistaking).

I feel for those young guys who go there to have their careers die.

I wonder how many Top end draft picks over the last 5 years have watched the draft order draw and said to themselves "please not Edmonton, please not Edmonton.. awwww crap Edmonton"

 

[Clark4Ever]

Sens lit up the BJs pretty hard. Karlsson and Stone are deadly.

I don't want to read too much into anything, but it seems odd that the Leafs outplayed the Sens and the Habs convincingly, and yet both clubs have been tearing it up against other teams.

 

[ULF_55]

I don't want to read too much into anything, but it seems odd that the Leafs outplayed the Sens and the Habs convincingly, and yet both clubs have been tearing it up against other teams.

Leafs have looked okay at home.

They just don't have young high end talent.

They didn't look that good in Detroit.

Coaching at home is a little different than on the road.

 

[Bullseye]

Dont worry. Sakic and later on Forsberg started their careers with the Nordiques. They did not only struggle on the ice but had to move their whole franchise. They survived.

The Nordiques became a really strong team at this time losing in the Semi's in '92 and then to Cup winner New York in the quarters in '94 and winning the Cup themselves in '96 one season after moving to Colorado.

Wiki: "Sakic was drafted 15th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1987 NHL Entry Draft. Rather than make the immediate jump, he told the Nordiques management he would prefer to spend the 1987–88 season in Swift Current to prepare for the NHL. He made his NHL debut on October 6, 1988"

How many players say that these days? Dylan Larkin looks like a Sakic to me.

 

[Mess]

Arizona rookies take the NHL by storm.

Domi 3-3-6 points and Duclair 4-2-6 points both tied for 2nd in the NHL as they lead team to 3-1-0 start.

 

[StevieBlunder]

going to be in the Matthews race no doubt

If they had any sense whatsoever they would either go ahead and draft the best defensive man they can with that pick, or trade it for a top pairing D-man.

If the Oilers end up with Mathews, all it tells me is that Chiarelli hasn't learned anything about this team. Talented forwards obviously isn't the issue here.

 

[Daisy Jane]

Dont worry. Sakic and later on Forsberg started their careers with the Nordiques. They did not only struggle on the ice but had to move their whole franchise. They survived.

Kane and Toews did not only join a struggling franchise with lots of players coming and going, they quickly become the go to guys. They survived.

Islanders with JT is doing just fine but they have been through a lot over the years, on and off the ice.

There is lots of examples of players who start on struggling teams but becomes the reasons the franchise eventually turns it around.

Now Edmonton seem to be a mess but are they really any worse then the Nordiques, Chicago and Islanders just a couple of years before they become contenders?

I dont feel comfortable with Kadri or Jake but not because of the losing they have been through but because they are not bright enough to become the key players their talent could have them be. Morgan on the other hand will turn out just fine.

i guess so. it just makes me nervous. like I don't really care really about Hall or anything, but that must really be heartbreaking to just be like. "moral victories don't count any more. like i learned that 3 years ago." and it just makes me nervous that sooner or later Rielly could have that mind set as well. but if they can shake it off that would be good. (obviously).

 

[johnny_rudeboy]

i guess so. it just makes me nervous. like I don't really care really about Hall or anything, but that must really be heartbreaking to just be like. "moral victories don't count any more. like i learned that 3 years ago." and it just makes me nervous that sooner or later Rielly could have that mind set as well. but if they can shake it off that would be good. (obviously).

As a wise women used to say, "trust the vision".

 

[Swayze*]

Sprong scores

so much for "boom or bust" drafting for Toronto. That lasted about 5 seconds when we traded down for Dermott.

 

[Muston Atthews]

Sprong scores

so much for "boom or bust" drafting for Toronto. That lasted about 5 seconds when we traded down for Dermott.

Yeah, if you disregard every other pick in the draft

 

[Punch Drunk Loov]

Dermott looks slick boys I wouldn't be upset with him + Bracco

 

[Daisy Jane]

As a wise women used to say, "trust the vision".

noted.

 

[Ovate]

Sprong scores

so much for "boom or bust" drafting for Toronto. That lasted about 5 seconds when we traded down for Dermott.

Offensive skills isn't all that matters, and scoring one goal doesn't even show that. We'll see if he stays up after his 9 games, but we won't know for years if he's more than a 2nd line winger.

Dermott was taken because he has "boom", top pairing potential. This could be our Keith/Weber/Subban.

 

[Menzinger]

Leafs have looked okay at home.

They just don't have young high end talent.

They didn't look that good in Detroit.

Coaching at home is a little different than on the road.

When you look at the team's underlying numbers they really aren't that terrible.

I interpret this as meaning that Babcock has great coaching systems but the current Leafs lineup simply lacks sufficient skill to capitalize on that - hence the losses.

 

[Menzinger]

Sprong scores

so much for "boom or bust" drafting for Toronto. That lasted about 5 seconds when we traded down for Dermott.

While I was a big proponent of taking Sprong at 24 (it would have been great to have gotten him!), I don't think Hunter would have taken Dermott if he thought he was going to be a safe bottom pairing guy. Plus you've got to factor in the other two pick the Leafs got from moving back

 

[ULF_55]

When you look at the team's underlying numbers they really aren't that terrible.

I interpret this as meaning that Babxoxk has great coaching systems but the current Leafs lineup simply lacks sufficient skill to capitalize on that - hence the losses.

Obviously when your team is horrible it is best to disregard results and looks at underlying numbers!

Let's leave wins and losses for another year.

Just pulling your leg man.

I'd be quite happy if they dealt all the character and maturity challenged players for more tickets in the draft.

 

[Bullseye]

Obviously when your team is horrible it is best to disregard results and looks at underlying numbers!

Let's leave wins and losses for another year.

Just pulling your leg man.

I'd be quite happy if they dealt all the character and maturity challenged players for more tickets in the draft.

Not even sure what good it is to look at the underlying numbers when this team cannot be built upon the current players. We know Babcock is a good coach but the future successful Leafs will likely not have any of these players on it. Maybe Rielly.

 

[Menzinger]

Obviously when your team is horrible it is best to disregard results and looks at underlying numbers!

Let's leave wins and losses for another year.

Just pulling your leg man.

I'd be quite happy if they dealt all the character and maturity challenged players for more tickets in the draft.

Well what's nice is that as the team's skilled prospects start graduating from the Minors they will thrive under how Babcock likes to play the game. We just have to wait for that to happen.

 

[mikebel111*]

It's only 4 games but Flames are kind of showing signs that last season isn't the real team

 

[Menzinger]

It's only 4 games but Flames are kind of showing signs that last season isn't the real team

Not terribly surprising.

They were getting badly outshot all season.

That said, I think they'll still challenge for a playoff spot - adding Hamilton was a good move.

 

[HoweHullOrr]

Arizona rookies take the NHL by storm.

Domi 3-3-6 points and Duclair 4-2-6 points both tied for 2nd in the NHL as they lead team to 3-1-0 start.

Yes, Jagr's Panthers don't look too bad either. Jagr has 4 goals and 6 points and the Panthers are tied for 2nd in their conference.

Remember when Tallon should have traded away his prospects for Phil because that's what they "needed". I bet the Panthers are glad they didn't.

 

[thewave]

Sprong scores

so much for "boom or bust" drafting for Toronto. That lasted about 5 seconds when we traded down for Dermott.

They should have been able to pull a 2nd to get Sprong out of that. Sprong was the guy to go for for sure.

A lot of people here wanted Sprong. Good hockey people if I remember the names of the posters.

 

[Bullseye]

They should have been able to pull a 2nd to get Sprong out of that. Sprong was the guy to go for for sure.

A lot of people here wanted Sprong. Good hockey people if I remember the names of the posters.

I dunno - it's way too early and Dermott is an excellent defenseman. No matter who we picked - they wouldn't be helping the Leafs this year - Pitt is in a different situation - they are cap strapped and need to ice a young player for cap reasons. Skinner had great seasons straight outa JR. for Carolina as well - didn't mean he was the best long term pick for his team. Playing with Crosby Malkin Kessel may help a young goal scorer get an early NHL goal - feels like an over-reaction.

 

[thewave]

I dunno - it's way too early and Dermott is an excellent defenseman. No matter who we picked - they wouldn't be helping the Leafs this year - Pitt is in a different situation - they are cap strapped and need to ice a young player for cap reasons. Skinner had great seasons straight outa JR. for Carolina as well - didn't mean he was the best long term pick for his team. Playing with Crosby Malkin Kessel may help a young goal scorer get an early NHL goal - feels like an over-reaction.

You can't discount he is just a kid still. He really is doing a fine job for his age, give the guy some love.

 

[theIceWookie]

Hearing Hall's post game comments... You gotta wonder if some of their young talented guys are just getting eaten by the consistent losing. It's gotta take a toll eventually.

It's one of the biggest arguments many of us who have issue with building through tanking have. I don't think it seeps into a team as deeply as some might suggest, but it certainly affects players. I wouldn't hesistate for a second to suggest it could be affecting many Oilers fans.

I've long argued that this is a detriment of tanking to win.

I had to go listen to it - and quite frankly, that is 100 percent the reason why Nylander et.al are in the Minors. (and why I am worried(ish) about Jake, Morgan, and Naz to an extent). losing all the time sucks monkey butt. and Edmonton has doing it for yeaaaaars. like that's all they know basically, and there's only so much you can be "horrah!! moral victories!"

we (Leafs) can have that now because we suuuuuuuuuuuuucked but for Edmonton? eessh.

I'd be less worried about it from a Leafs standpoint. Babcock seems to be instituting a system that is designed to build the right kind of attitude in a team, regardless of the results. I think with that, with the veterans that were signed, the culture is being built correctly. The Leafs may be bad, but they aren't going to be accepting of it. They'll try to win as best they can.