Around the NHL Discussion Part XV

[ezcreepin]

Nashville’s gonna win a cup this year. I don’t know that there is anything they don’t do at an above-average level. Hard to see anybody in the West being able to take them on. I think Vegas is mostly smoke and mirrors, and the magic will wear off in the playoff pressure cooker. The Jets are legit too, but I don’t see them in the same light as the Perds. If Nashville adds Fish, *and* Kane/Patches/Hoffman, there wont be anybody that can stop them.

Wasn't that supposed to be the Capitals for like 3 years in a row? I don't believe it till it happens.

 

[carter333167]

No doubt that Nashville has loaded up big time....though TB looks stacked as well and I would prefer Vasi over Rinne in a 7 game series.

Nashville loading up to the gills is one reason I would like to be conservative at the TDL. The Preds looks solid now but I think we start to look better one-two years from now, particularly if DA can trade one/some of our vets to recoup our 2018 first and maybe a few other picks.

 

[TruBlu]

I see DA standing pat this year and looking to inject some more of our talented youth in next season. Add a healthy Fabbri and our lineup will look a lot different. This isn't the year to waste assets since Nashville is all in. Let them weaken themselves for the coming seasons and see if we are in a better spot next year. We are an offensive black hole this year between the ridiculous pp and inability to score outside of a few people.

 

[Dbrownss]

From what ive heard on NHL radio, teams aren't looking to part with their 1sts this year involving guys like Kane and Hoffman. Wouldn't expect one for our 3rd liners.

 

[TruBlu]

Prices are ridiculously high this year. I read somewhere that a lot of teams have depleted their farm depth and that we probably won't see as much movement this year as teams look to restock. I also have a belief that rentals hardly ever make that much of a difference. How often do we see one go to a new team and chemistry never develops. Then that person is gone the following season. We certainly haven't had much luck with it.

 

[Dbrownss]

Prices are ridiculously high this year. I read somewhere that a lot of teams have depleted their farm depth and that we probably won't see as much movement this year as teams look to restock. I also have a belief that rentals hardly ever make that much of a difference. How often do we see one go to a new team and chemistry never develops. Then that person is gone the following season. We certainly haven't had much luck with it.

The only one that comes to mind is Gaborik.


Thats why DA wanted a guy with term. He's looking to add to the core. I don't think he's looking to go all in for this year. This team just looks all out of sorts, but there's nothing wrong with adding talent.

It sounds like Ottawa has to cut salary, so I could still see a bargain Hoffman. As for Pacioretty....Bergevin loves his statement trades, so I doubt he gets full value. If DA could add one of these guys without paying a premium, then its a move he should still make

 

[Alklha]

If Leivo has asked for a trade then I'm sure Armstrong will be interested. Right hand shot, decent at doing the dirty work and goes to the front of the net. Can't imagine that the price would be high.

Schmaltz probably makes the most sense, but I'm still not keen on moving him.

 

[PiggySmalls]

If Leivo has asked for a trade then I'm sure Armstrong will be interested. Right hand shot, decent at doing the dirty work and goes to the front of the net. Can't imagine that the price would be high.

Schmaltz probably makes the most sense, but I'm still not keen on moving him.

If Doug plans on moving Gunny at TDL, Schmaltz should be kept for depth since we have zero AHL depth. I do really like Josh Lievo though, similar situation to Schmaltz with lack of opportunity.

 

[Alklha]

If Doug plans on moving Gunny at TDL, Schmaltz should be kept for depth since we have zero AHL depth. I do really like Josh Lievo though, similar situation to Schmaltz with lack of opportunity.

Agreed. Gunnarsson is the 7th guy going forward, and it doesn't make sense to have $2.9m, cap or salary, tied up in that role. I'm just not sure if Armstrong sees moving Gunnarsson as making room for Schmaltz.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Steen - Stastny - Leivo/Thompson
Sobotka - Berglund - Thompson/Leivo

Starts to look better with minimal cost and risk.

 

[The Note in MI]

Agreed. Gunnarsson is the 7th guy going forward, and it doesn't make sense to have $2.9m, cap or salary, tied up in that role. I'm just not sure if Armstrong sees moving Gunnarsson as making room for Schmaltz.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Steen - Stastny - Leivo/Thompson
Sobotka - Berglund - Thompson/Leivo

Starts to look better with minimal cost and risk.

Does it though, Barbashev has been playing pretty well in my opinion. Unless there's a drastic upgrade to a goal score infer I don't think the on ice product will be that different.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Steen - Stastny - scoring RW
Barbashev - Berglund - Thompson
Upshall - Brodziak - Jaskin

That seems like a better lineup to me, moving from Barbashev to Leivo is too close to a lateral move. Moving from Thompson at 2RW to a proven goal scorer makes our lineup much more competitive this year. Granted I know that's not an easy ask.


I think it's quite important for us to find a now 2RW between now and next years playoffs. I don't think we have one in our system just yet. We likely do in the next 3 years but I don't expect any of our ELC guys to step into that top 6 25 goal scoring winger slot yet. I would love to be proven wrong however.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Fabbri - Stastny - bonafide 2RW
Steen - Thomas - Thompson
Barbashev - Berglund - Brodziak/Jaskin

That's ma much deeper lineup. And it's a realistic one where Berglund can slot up to 3C and Thomas move to a RW spot with Brodziak/Barbashev at 4C.

If you don't get a proven 2RW then we are essentially in the same position we are in this year.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Fabbri - Stastny - Thompson
Steen - Berglund - Thomas
Barbashev - Brodziak - Jaskin

I think Sanford/Sundquist could also slot in 4th line roles and provide what's needed.

I don't think Kyrou or Kostin make the NHL roster next year. Both will need pro seasoning IMO for at least a year and could slot into the lineup as injury call ups in a pinch along with Blais (whom we should move if we can)

This all predicates on moving Sobotka for salary space and the fact he's a redundancy. Likely has the most value on the market given contract and skill set.

Probably the wrong thread for this...

And on further viewing, there isn't such thing as an available RHS RW so i guess we wait for Kyrou to explode lol. Would be nice for him to be Debrincat for us.

 

[Alklha]

Does it though, Barbashev has been playing pretty well in my opinion. Unless there's a drastic upgrade to a goal score infer I don't think the on ice product will be that different.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Steen - Stastny - scoring RW
Barbashev - Berglund - Thompson
Upshall - Brodziak - Jaskin

That seems like a better lineup to me, moving from Barbashev to Leivo is too close to a lateral move. Moving from Thompson at 2RW to a proven goal scorer makes our lineup much more competitive this year. Granted I know that's not an easy ask.


I think it's quite important for us to find a now 2RW between now and next years playoffs. I don't think we have one in our system just yet. We likely do in the next 3 years but I don't expect any of our ELC guys to step into that top 6 25 goal scoring winger slot yet. I would love to be proven wrong however.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Fabbri - Stastny - bonafide 2RW
Steen - Thomas - Thompson
Barbashev - Berglund - Brodziak/Jaskin

That's ma much deeper lineup. And it's a realistic one where Berglund can slot up to 3C and Thomas move to a RW spot with Brodziak/Barbashev at 4C.

If you don't get a proven 2RW then we are essentially in the same position we are in this year.

Schwartz - Schenn - Tarasenko
Fabbri - Stastny - Thompson
Steen - Berglund - Thomas
Barbashev - Brodziak - Jaskin

I think Sanford/Sundquist could also slot in 4th line roles and provide what's needed.

I don't think Kyrou or Kostin make the NHL roster next year. Both will need pro seasoning IMO for at least a year and could slot into the lineup as injury call ups in a pinch along with Blais (whom we should move if we can)

This all predicates on moving Sobotka for salary space and the fact he's a redundancy. Likely has the most value on the market given contract and skill set.

You are comparing apples and oranges here.

If you want a top-6 RW, then what are you willing to give up for that player? Realistically, it is a minimum of the 2019 1st+. Leivo is someone who likely costs a 3rd & a career AHL type prospect.

Barbashev has had a few good games, but he's still yet another LW that is forcing us to use Steen on the right. Just getting Steen back to LW full time is an upgrade, even if Leivo didn't prove to be a massive upgrade on Barbashev.

If someone wants to give us their top-6 RW for scraps, then I'm on board. However, I don't see this as an appropriate time to be moving Thomas, Kyrou, Thompson, Kostin or the 2019 1st unless we're getting a very obvious win.

 

[The Note in MI]

You are comparing apples and oranges here.

If you want a top-6 RW, then what are you willing to give up for that player? Realistically, it is a minimum of the 2019 1st+. Leivo is someone who likely costs a 3rd & a career AHL type prospect.

Barbashev has had a few good games, but he's still yet another LW that is forcing us to use Steen on the right. Just getting Steen back to LW full time is an upgrade, even if Leivo didn't prove to be a massive upgrade on Barbashev.

If someone wants to give us their top-6 RW for scraps, then I'm on board. However, I don't see this as an appropriate time to be moving Thomas, Kyrou, Thompson, Kostin or the 2019 1st unless we're getting a very obvious win.

No I wholeheartedly agree, I don't want to move our top end prospects at all. I just question the utility of putting Leivo on the RW seems like a fairly lateral move.

 

[PiggySmalls]

I just see Lievo having the physicality and feistiness to become a net front presence player.

 

[Alklha]

No I wholeheartedly agree, I don't want to move our top end prospects at all. I just question the utility of putting Leivo on the RW seems like a fairly lateral move.

He is a RHS and has played on the right before. Plus as @PiggySmalls says, he plays an aspect of the game we have been missing.

You might well be right that it ends up a lateral move, but it's the low risk move that we're in the position to make this season when it comes to out top-9.

If we're looking for a bigger move, then I really think that is something for the summer. We need to move Gunnarsson and at least one of Berglund or Sobotka to give us more flexibility. I don't see the latter happening until the offseason.

 

[The Note in MI]

He is a RHS and has played on the right before. Plus as @PiggySmalls says, he plays an aspect of the game we have been missing.

You might well be right that it ends up a lateral move, but it's the low risk move that we're in the position to make this season when it comes to out top-9.

If we're looking for a bigger move, then I really think that is something for the summer. We need to move Gunnarsson and at least one of Berglund or Sobotka to give us more flexibility. I don't see the latter happening until the offseason.

Well we definitely can't move Berglund until the Draft. His contract is an issue.

I would prefer to move Berglund over Sobotka, I think Sobotka offers more versatility than Berglund, including passing.

I can see us moving Gunnarsson to the East at the TDL but question is who or what for. If we could move him plus a prospect like say, Barbashev/Blais for a late 1st or early 2nd then I would be ecstatic. If not then perhaps a young player with top 9 upside that plays RW - like Leivo?

Fill in with Thomas, Kyrou, Sanford, Blais, Sundquist, Jaskin, Thompson, Brodziak, Kostin

In the end I hope we can land Tavares, but if we do that then we lose Stastny, I don't see a scenario where we can keep Stastny while signing Tavares without moving all three of Berglund/Sobotka/Gunnarsson. That's certainly a possibility however.

 

[The Note in MI]

Watching Montreal and Ottawa is...pitiful. Slow, choppy uninspired hockey. Some of these guys have completely given up on the season and it’s a shame to see.

 

[Oberyn]

Love the way Boeser just cuts through the middle and powers by the defender. Don't remember the last time Tarasenko did something like this.

 

[The Note in MI]

None of our guys appear comfortable carrying the puck on their own stick except Schenn and Dunn they all seem too focused on an east west pass. Would be nice to see some drive to the net or middle of the ice. Watching other teams they do so much less dump and chase.

 

[mw2noobbuster]

Boeser is on another level right now. Not only does he have an incredible shot but he rounds off with solid hockey IQ, positioning, hands, and passing. He's a threat from anywhere.

 

[The Note in MI]

Toronto Anaheim is an outstanding game. So much offense

 

[Novacain]

Pretty good description of how silly the Central is this year.

Total points for divisions this year, going into play today.

Metropolitan: 471 points

Central: 448 points

Pacific: 448 points

Atlantic: 440 points.

Please note, the Central has 1 less team then the other divisions.

 

[EastonBlues22]

Pretty good description of how silly the Central is this year.

Total points for divisions this year, going into play today.

Metropolitan: 471 points

Central: 448 points

Pacific: 448 points

Atlantic: 440 points.

Please note, the Central has 1 less team then the other divisions.

There's a way to account for that.

Average points gained per game played:

Central: 1.22 (100 point pace)
Metropolitan: 1.12 (91.8 point pace)
Pacific: 1.07 (87.7 point pace)
Atlantic: 1.06 (86.9 point pace)

 

[wannabebluesplayer]

Central is a bloodbath. Pure and simple. The Blues need to stay on their game to stay ahead of Dallas, Chicago, and Minnesota. I don't think Winnipeg and Nashville are relinquishing their spots. Those are some big games the Blues HAVE to show up in.

 

[WATTAGE4451]

how many game suspension for this knee tonthe head by burrows? should be at least 5 but they sometimes get away with this crap

 

[Dbrownss]

how many game suspension for this knee tonthe head by burrows? should be at least 5 but they sometimes get away with this crap

That'll get the Gudas treatment. 10 games