nfreeman

I'd encourage anyone interested to listen to Howard and Sal's interview today with Joe Beninati, longtime Capitals play-by-play guy. It's in the WGR vault. Joe B spoke very highly of MJ, including: - Joe B. loved MJ as both a player and a good guy. - MJ was great in the playoffs. One season he was on a line with Kuznetsov and Justin Williams that was highly effective for the Caps in the playoffs. - For a while it looked like MJ was going to be their long-term 2C behind Backstrom, but MJ ended up getting caught in a cap numbers game in DC. - MJ is a good scorer from the dirty areas as well as being a good playmaker. - MJ is an excellent, smooth skater. - His nickname is "Jo-jo."

I'm not sure what your point is here. TP is the owner. He has all the power over every single decision, large and small, that he cares to exercise. It doesn't matter whether he also has the "team president" title. More broadly, it seems like you and PA are bitterly clinging (heh) to the "TP likes to meddle in hockey decisions" narrative. Is Graham's description, which runs counter to this narrative, "weak sauce" for any particular reason?

All owners have final say. And just to cut through the spin -- here is what he said exactly:

Yes please.

I took the family to see the Rolling Stones last night in Foxborough. They are getting a bit long in the tooth but they sounded terrific and it was a great night.

I can see a winger included as a sweetener (although I'd be inclined more towards "throw-in" as a descriptor), but I don't think anyone is going to give the Sabres anything for any of their wings. Interesting, and I would like to see how this looks. I kinda think though that due to supply and demand they are unlikely to bring in a good #2 center between now and the start of the season, so MJ's most likely landing spot is 2C. So maybe: Skinner-Eichel-Vesey Ehlers/other good W coming back for Risto-MJ-Reino Olofsson-Mitts-ERod Sheary-Larsson-KO Separately: I like this acquisition. It's a low-risk, cost-effective move to bring in an experienced pro who has pretty good size and speed, will turn 29 in October, has played a good, productive supporting role on good teams and has won a lot of regular season and playoff games. I still think it's fairly likely that JB scoops up a good forward who pops loose from a cap-strapped team as the RFA dust settles around the league, but this move reduces the urgency of that happening.

Dude.

I think “Sobotka ugly” just became the new “gay porn hard.”

Well, it wouldn’t be his 3rd season with no #2C, as ROR was there for 1 year. I agree that he needs to acquire a viable center though. And I wish @dudacekwould stop lobbying for another questionable BC guy in Turris, because I’m growing increasingly concerned that he’s the guy we end up with and the likelihood of him being lousy for most of that albatross contract is extremely high. (Although I think JB is too smart to take Turris unless KO is going the other way.)

Excellent stuff here. I hadn't thought of Bjugstad. I'd be happy with him and that is the kind of move that is plausible and that I think JB is going to end up making. Wouldn't want to give up Risto for him though.

That is awesome. And that island in North-North-Northern Canada makes Cozens' hometown look like Miami.

Now that should be the new goal song.

I think if the compensation were substantially less -- or zero, as in the NBA -- there would be many more offer sheets, and as a result the team with matching rights would find itself having to make hard salary cap choices more often, and more guys would inevitably change teams.

Excellent articulation of the issue. Certainly if we thought Rasmus and Cozens weren't going to far exceed Nylander and Mitts, we would do it in a second.

Agreed, and I think he was also drag-racing a teammate (I think the one that died) through regular Atlanta highway traffic IIRC.

Excellent breakdown. It's hard to see any of those big-dollar guys waiving a NTC to jump from a Cup contender in warm, tax-free Florida to a chronically crappy team in a wintry, high-tax state. But stranger things have happened.

Happy 4th, everyone. It is wicked hot in the Hudson River Valley today. I took my daughter to see the new Spider-Man today and it was pretty good. Among the best of the superhero movies that I've seen. I liked it better than Endgame.

Unbelievable.

What if Cozens blows in like the polar vortex and seizes the #1 RW slot with Eichel and Skinner? And JB has parlayed Risto into Cerelli or Point or some other high-ceiling #2 center? Skinner-Eichel-Cozens Vesey-exciting new #2C-Reino Olofsson-Mittsy-Erod Sheary-Larsson-Zemgus Montour-Dahlin McCabe-Miller Scandy-Nelson I'd be pretty excited for opening night.

No g-string requirement at your establishment of choice?

What? Your theory is that the NHL instructed the Rangers to send Vesey to Buffalo as a punishment for his sin 2 years prior? Again: insane.

What percentage of the players do you think will feel this way? And will the percentage be higher or lower than the percentage in the Rangers locker room that felt that way?

I could be wrong, but I believe @LGR4GM's stats are team goals for/against per 60 min, not goals scored by Vesey/Donskoi themselves. (So it's a big #hammymath-ish to claim that "Donskoi outproduces Vesey" -- but I hope Liger doesn't blow a gasket from that reference.)

Except that your post (which, but for than the critical #Hammymath omission was excellent and would have effectively destroyed @GASabresIUFAN's point) nowhere mentions that the analysis is limited to last season.

Busted for #Hammymath! And to think I initially gave your post a thumbs-up! The horror.