OT: Around the NHL: The Countdown to Camp

[Big McLargehuge]

Oshie was out of the world in those Olympic shoot-outs, and really solid in the games as well. He hasn't been that with the Blues. He's been good, but he has never been what they hoped he would be.

That said he was a solid Option B if Kessel would have fallen through and Washington got a steal given what they gave up. He's good, he's just not great. The only way he's hitting 40 (which it should be noted far superior goal scorer Phil Kessel has achieved exactly 0 times) is if he gets about 25 penalty shots.

 

[mpp9]

He should be pretty good with the time and space he'll get if he plays with Ovy and Backstrom. Hes slow, but can make you look silly one on one.

 

[Speaking Moistly]

Oshie will hit 40-50 goals.



In two seasons and possibly including shootouts. Talk about setting a player up to fail as far as perception goes with some people.

 

[Human]

seems that Saad got 6 x 6

http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=773812

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
Hearing AAV on Saad on $6M

would have loved Saad for that money...

 

[Asuna]

seems that Saad got 6 x 6

http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=773812

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
Hearing AAV on Saad on $6M

Could still sign Saad when he's 28...

 

[Shady Machine]

seems that Saad got 6 x 6

http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=773812

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
Hearing AAV on Saad on $6M

would have loved Saad for that money...

I much prefer Kessel for 6.8

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I much prefer Kessel for 6.8

No doubt. Good for Saad getting that money...still puts him at free agency at 28.

 

[cajal]

I thought this would be the place for this comment - rather than the Pens signing/cap thread.

Over the last couple of days I've watched a lot of the Canadian media coverage of the Kessel trade - both in print and on video. The hatchet job they're doing on this guy makes what our FO said (or merely hinted at) about Neal and Despres look like a fairy tale.

Kessel isn't a perfect player, and he isn't close to being one. This sort of character assassination (which goes back over half a decade) is really over the top. Back when Gilmour and Sundin sort of lost their luster up there it was ugly, but this is way worse.

I know I shouldn't find it that surprising, but the venom with which "journalists" covered this player is pretty disgusting.

Hopefully Phil relaxes a bit when he gets here. After that coverage, I think anyone would.

Edit: forgot to leave this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1akAAkscWE

 

[wheelz87]

Saad at 6 mil for 6 years.. is pretty much really fair to both sides I think.

 

[Darth Vitale]

Saad at 6 mil for 6 years.. is pretty much really fair to both sides I think.

It's fair market value, but I think it will also prove overpayment ultimately. No question he's a good player but I don't think he's 6M good right now. Also no question of which contract provides more value for the money (as I said in an earlier thread) – I'd take Kessel at $6.8M over Saad at $6M every day of the week and .... well, you know. If Saad were down in the $4.8M sphere then you start getting into some interesting debates because what can you do with that other $2M in seeking another top-quality player? But as it is I'm glad we got the player and deal we got.

 

[titaniumexpose]

seems that Saad got 6 x 6

http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=773812

Elliotte Friedman @FriedgeHNIC
Hearing AAV on Saad on $6M

would have loved Saad for that money...

I have mixed feelings... There's still a soft spot I have for the former Western Conference era team, and I have attended a few games @Nationwide. Now that I'm in their neck of the woods it's hard to see them get better knowing how it affects the division. I'll root for them anytime it doesn't affect the Pens. CBJ fans I don't mind, it's the OSU people that are annoying IMO.

 

[Waffle Fries]

I spend a lot of time in Columbus. After they made the playoffs two years ago there was a total switch in the mindset of Jackets fans. They used to be easy going and welcoming, but last year it shifted a good bit. A lot of arrogance and entitlement for fans of a team that have never won a playoff series.

I actually like the team itself, outside of Johansen (who's just a huge *********) and Hartnell (for obvious reasons). As much as I hate playing against Dubinsky, I think he and a lot of others on the team are a lot of fun to watch. Foligno is both a great human and a very good hockey player and Jenner is one of my favorite young guys in the league.

So I'm happy in the sense that I'll get to see Saad play a lot more frequently and he'll make their games even more fun, but disappointed that it'll probably give the bad set of fans more ammo.

 

[wheelz87]

It's fair market value, but I think it will also prove overpayment ultimately. No question he's a good player but I don't think he's 6M good right now. Also no question of which contract provides more value for the money (as I said in an earlier thread) – I'd take Kessel at $6.8M over Saad at $6M every day of the week and .... well, you know. If Saad were down in the $4.8M sphere then you start getting into some interesting debates because what can you do with that other $2M in seeking another top-quality player? But as it is I'm glad we got the player and deal we got.

No debate here, Kessel at 6.8 >>>>Saad at 6. Still Saad is coming off a huge playoff year and is just 22. I like paying for potential rather than the 30 whatever year old who 'has been through it all and has experience!!!' There are many worse ways to spend 6 million.

 

[Pete Gas]

Joel Ward goes to San Jose for 3 years $3.25 per season

 

[Darth Vitale]

Too much. They can have him.

 

[Pete Gas]

I think Mathias is a must, especially I became impressed when he went into beast mode in that one game against the Pens.

 

[titaniumexpose]

I spend a lot of time in Columbus. After they made the playoffs two years ago there was a total switch in the mindset of Jackets fans. They used to be easy going and welcoming, but last year it shifted a good bit. A lot of arrogance and entitlement for fans of a team that have never won a playoff series.

I actually like the team itself, outside of Johansen (who's just a huge *********) and Hartnell (for obvious reasons). As much as I hate playing against Dubinsky, I think he and a lot of others on the team are a lot of fun to watch. Foligno is both a great human and a very good hockey player and Jenner is one of my favorite young guys in the league.

So I'm happy in the sense that I'll get to see Saad play a lot more frequently and he'll make their games even more fun, but disappointed that it'll probably give the bad set of fans more ammo.

I don't doubt that, I'm still relatively new to the area so we'll see how things go now. Planning on attending some games this year, my sister or her husband works for Nationwide, can't remember this time of day... Even if they're jerks I don't care, every fanbase has them.

 

[plaidchuck]

The rest of the metro really did beef up. The pens had to make the kessel move just to keep up.

 

[Shady Machine]

I thought this would be the place for this comment - rather than the Pens signing/cap thread.

Over the last couple of days I've watched a lot of the Canadian media coverage of the Kessel trade - both in print and on video. The hatchet job they're doing on this guy makes what our FO said (or merely hinted at) about Neal and Despres look like a fairy tale.

Kessel isn't a perfect player, and he isn't close to being one. This sort of character assassination (which goes back over half a decade) is really over the top. Back when Gilmour and Sundin sort of lost their luster up there it was ugly, but this is way worse.

I know I shouldn't find it that surprising, but the venom with which "journalists" covered this player is pretty disgusting.

Hopefully Phil relaxes a bit when he gets here. After that coverage, I think anyone would.

Edit: forgot to leave this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1akAAkscWE

Haha Toronto is full of crazies or something.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

I'm pretty sure William Randolph Hearst would roll his eyes at the Toronto media.

The media in the US is completely nuts...but outside of the New York Post there really isn't anything (in print) approaching the yellow journalism of Sun Media or English tabloids.

All of our crazies work in cable news...

 

[BHD]

Too bad Ellis is never going to see action while Holtby plays all 82 games. #DanEllisProblems

 

[Sam Spade]

Too bad Ellis is never going to see action while Holtby plays all 82 games. #DanEllisProblems

Ellis is going to Hershey, Grubauer will be Holtby's backup this season.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

The Blues moving Shattenkirk is going to be bad, that means they are putting their entire offensive responsibilities on the back end with Pietrangelo and Gunnarsson. Yikes.

Pietro is a 40+ guys, but Gunnarsson is a 20-25pt guy at best. Losing another 40+ pt defender that helps your transition game is going to be brutal for them and their forwards will suffer for it, it's going to be hilarious in St.Louis if that happens.

I would want Berglund over Sutter if Berglund wasn't mediocre on faceoffs. Pens need a solid 3rd line C that is 50%+ at the draw, not 48% and Patrik has been a 43-48% guy for 5+ seasons.


Given that the Pens were 49.1% average last year (Sid 49.9%, Suts 50.6%, Geno 42.6%, Goc was 54%, Lappy 50.6%)...the team needs help there, chasing the puck blows.

So Sid SHOULD return to 50+ again.
Geno hopefully returns to at least 48%
Sutter...who knows if he stays, but he's a consistent 50+ guy, 2 out of the 3yrs here.

It honestly would not be a bad thing to get Malhotra or Slater, both are top 5 in the league for faceoffs when playing 55+ games for the 4th line and for the PK, especially for the PK, then for the 3rd line C...good luck JR.

Both could be cheap signings, depends on which one the team wants. Malhotra has been a guy that hasn't played 70+ in 3 seasons. Slater is the healthier one of the 2.

 

[Penguinator]

I'd take Slater over Malhotra anytime, the later being quite near official corpse status, his production & +/- are horrible. I mean, if you can't produce, at least stop the opposition from doing so.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

Only problem is that Slater has been getting a raise for his solid faceoff work and being a decent bottom 6 guy for the Jets the last 4+ yrs or so.

He went from 1.1 to 1.6 and is now a UFA.

There is a cap issue with teams, so he might have to dip down to his 1.1 range, maybe 1m is the lowest he goes.

I would take that 1yr/1m deal with him.