dudacek

Perfetti could play catch with Jack in a way Skinner never will. Jack would score 50 if Perfetti's game translates. He's got Reino vision with better 1-on-1 skills and a better shot.

Until the Ellis leak this morning, we haven't heard ***** about *****. No Reino, no Ullmark, no Olofsson, no Kahun, nothing but @sabresparaavida's nugget on Larsson/Girgs, and Freidman's eyebrow-raiser on Montour. No whispers on new scouts or analytics gurus, no assistant GMs or advisors. Adams has had plenty of time to set the table for his free agents, and he should have. But remember that by the normal NHL business clock we're still in late April. Usual pattern is roughly flurry of trades at and leading up the draft (June), UFA frenzy (July), arbitration eligibles (late July, August), other RFAs, late trades, UFA scraps (September). Also, Adams would probably be prudent to wait and see who might be getting non-qualified and bought out and added to the unrestricted free agent pool before he starts signing people. And I'm sure there are a lot of people tentative about signing too early given the ramifications of COVID-19. We will have both a flat cap, and the possibility of cash-flow-poor teams declining to spend to the cap. As far as Reinhart goes, his will be kind of a benchmark contract — along with guys like Mantha and Domi — for good players coming off a bridge in this new economic world. I would imagine it will be a tough deal, regardless of whether he signs here or is traded.

And since I bashed the local media this morning on another thread, kudos to Lance for breaking and developing this story. Matt was the epitome of a player who maximized what the gene pool gave him, so he doesn't appear to be a bad choice here.

I am so ***** happy this was the first reaction. Lock the thread

One of the negative things about subscribing to the Athletic is the continued reminders of how unconnected our media is. Rob Rossi and Josh Yohe combined for this magnificent post-mortem on the Penguins season peppered with interviews with "more than a dozen team, league and industry sources." https://theathletic.com/1992907/2020/08/13/inside-the-penguins-collapse-and-the-big-changes-that-still-remain/ Among the takes from people in the know: Some players questioned the decision to ride Murray, who the brass loves Sullivan likes "yes men" assistants and needed to be challenged Players said adding Sheary, Rodrigues and Marleau was a blow to chemistry: "Too much change" Players said Kahun was a good player who shouldn't have been moved Sullivan put too much faith in guys who delivered before but weren't now (Sheary, Schultz) Malkin and Crosby aren't being traded. Sid has has asked ownership to keep Geno and Geno says he wants to stay Pens (and many other teams) aren't likely spend to the cap this year. Sullivan stayed positive when players thought they deserved their ***** kicked instead. The organization was overconfident. They really missed what Kessel brought to the PP, which was flaccid. People are stunned by the firing of Sergei Gonchar, considered one of the best teachers of defencemen in the game. There will be an exodus of pricey vets behind the stars this summer, but buyouts will be a last resort. This is what happens when reporters build relationships with the people they cover. Pens fans get the inside dope. We get Paul Hamilton's leading questions and Mike Harrington's bile.

Button's latest mock has Perfetti dropping to the Sabres "The Anaheim Ducks need some young blood on the blueline and take defenceman Jake Sanderson. At seventh, winger Lucas Raymond fits the bill for the New Jersey Devils as a Mitch Marner clone for Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier. Eighth is forward Cole Perfetti – a perfect left wing fit for Jack Eichel." https://www.tsn.ca/alexis-lafreniere-and-new-york-rangers-headline-post-phase-2-mock-draft-1.1507293 With Pronman mocking Rossi to us, those are my ideal outcomes.

It also may be aimed at Montour as a tone setter: someone outside suggesting if he gets greedy early he could bluff himself to UFA? someone trying to poison early talks, or prompt one party to the table now? Who knows what game is being played?

That’s what I thought. Maybe I just misread the context.

The context of the Montour nugget was interesting. It sounds like many teams are deathly afraid of arbitration pinning them to contract that will completely handcuff them to a player at a price they won’t be able to walk away from. Sounds like there is a new clause that allows the player to accept the team’s arbitration offer if the team loses and walks away. I’m not sure why the team would be offering a number they can’t work with, but the talking heads saw this as significant. Can anyone explain?

He said earlier he thinks Jarvis is legitimately good value at 8, on the tier ahead of Lundell.

Agree. That said. I do think Montour might not be long for Buffalo. I think he (rightly) sees himself as an offence-first PP guy, and he will always take a back seat to Dahlin there. I also think he liked the warm California weather and wants a better contract than his play warranted. Staying in Buffalo doesn’t address either of those things. (Note, I am not saying he is a whiner, just what I think he’d prefer.) We have too many right defencemen and Miller offers a lot of the same skills and fits a similar role. I can see both parties deciding he might be a better fit elsewhere.

Maybe this year it will be the Sabres making that pick: someone you love like Jarvis; someone you don't, like Lundell. We are revising our scouting lens. Who knows what that leads to? And Sanderson is ranked in the top 3 by at least a couple scouts and the top defenceman by more. Him going in the top 8 will not be a surprise. I think @Crusader1969 has the right of it though: Holtz, Raymond, Rossi and Perfetti are all worthy of a top 8 pick. Drysdale and/or Sanderson goes in the top 7 and we will take one of those four forwards.

It really sounds like one of those speculative things that gets legs because it's interesting. GMs are considering not qualifying guys because of the cap. The industry is wondering who might be affected. Someone says "Buffalo makes sense. They have a lot of RFAs and look to be in cost-cutting mode." The telephone game turns that into Montour. Friedman hears it from more than one source and mentions it as something that is floating around out there.

This. Can’t see any way that makes sense. His qualifying offer is $3.3 million. That’s not any sort of back breaker and certainly tradeable. Never mind that he’s worth that number. I hope this has no basis other than wild speculation based on the front office cost-cutting.

I haven’t seen it, but this is where I read the news: https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/potential-cba-modifications-emerging-nhl-nhlpa-continue-negotiations/

Ah, marginal top 6. That’s fair. He did get better at even strength. He is conscientious out there, just not very strong. As far as Jack goes, he can play with anyone. If he gets a Mogilny, look out.

How are we defining marginal? Victor finished tied for 48 in ES points among NHL left wingers despite missing a few weeks with injury, with Nick Foligno and Jamie Benn.

LOL. It’s OK to have reasons for liking Morgan better and you’ve made a good case in the past as to how and why Casey got overhyped. I’m just pointing out some evidence that suggests how the hype pendulum may have swung too far the other way.

Yeah, I’m not trying to make it about Casey and Frost, I have no opinion on who is or will be better. I’m just using how they were statistically similar prospects, playing in the same leagues, yet are perceived very differently, to make a point about the perception of players in general. Last year Frost put up 29 points in 41 games in the minors and 7 in 20 NHL games. Last year Mittelstadt put up 25 points in 36 games in the minors and 9 in 31 NHL games.

If the Islanders really wanted to send a message to Wilson, then three of their biggest guys should have jumped him at the same time, two holding him down, while the third popped him a few times. You really want to send a message, you need to actual hurt Wilson, the way Wilson hurts other people. If fighting and intimidation are part of the game, embrace it. Lee didn’t send any kind of message except that he’s OK being Wilson’s punching bag. I’m so sick of this elementary school playground hockey code hypocritical bs.

This was changed in the CBA that was signed last month. The clause now stays and transfers with the contract. It’s up to the player whether he or not he wants waive it.

I think so, but you can add Perfetti as well if Detroit doesn't like him as much as is rumoured. Stuetzle, Byfield and Lafreniere will be gone, and its hard to believe that at least one defenceman won't be taken before our turn. (Drysdale, Sanderson, or both). If "the big 7" forwards are gone, it will be interesting if we take a D, or grab from the next tier of forwards.

Something to consider as well, Gaudreau has a NTC in the last year of contract, so you might really be limited your trade deadline options if he's bound and determined to play in Philly or New Jersey. A few other things to consider about fanbase player opinions as we play fantasy GM: every fanbase has their Cozens and their Jokiharjus (shiny new toys with impossible upsides) and their Drew Staffords and Rasmus Ristolainens (capable NHL players who they've become sick and tired of watching). We exaggerate their flaws and virtues relative to the rest of the league accordingly. every fanbase knows the rest of the league primarily through a mixture of stats, highlight packages and message board hype, not actual scouting (think about how the general perception of Sheary and Botterill before they became Sabres actually matched the reality.) GMs are privy to relevant information about players and organizations, on and off the ice, that we aren't Here's an example. Two years ago, this board was talking about Casey Mittelstadt the same way it currently does about Dylan Cozens. Now there seems to be a consensus that he will be lucky to be an NHL player and has nearly zero value in a trade. Fans now talk about how great it would be to get a Cody Glass or a Morgan Frost, players the same age as Casey who have shown less than Casey. I'm not trying to say anything in particular about Casey, other than his value around the league probably never was as high as we thought it was, and that it probably isn't as low as we think it is. Remember those stories about Tim Murray chasing Evander Kane since he was 16? GMs are playing a long game and have entrenched opinions.

Talbot is a pending UFA. Not a solution in my mind, but an option. I will take that bet.

He has to play 7 years before he reaches uNrestricted free agency. He has played 3 years. He can sign with another team, but whoever has his rights can match. He doesn’t have to sign, but if he holds out he doesn’t get paid, and he doesn’t get closer to UFA status.