dudacek
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Posts posted by dudacek
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In the absence of any convincing evidence otherwise, I choose to believe Lafontaine's departure must have been about power – he didn't have the authority he thought he would have.
And there is no one to blame for that besides himself and Pegula.
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Well-written piece, but what I enjoyed most was the screen name.
Please get an avatar to match.
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Possibly, but goalies always seem to pop loose over the summer -- whether it's a FA like Halak or young studs stuck in backup roles like Bernier or Schneider.
(Speaking of Bernier, if the Leafs are in a burn-it-down frenzy this summer, I'd be happy with him.)
I doubt Bernier is part of the scorched earth policy in Leaf-land, but if he is, I am all over that.
Long-time fan of his game.
Hope you're right about someone popping loose, but I don't like it as a strategy.
I seem to be far more concerned about goaltenders than most.
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I really like the potential chemistry of Reinhart and Ennis.
Ennis plays a game that isn't much different than Max Domi's.
Add speed and edge from Kane who will hit, back check and finish and I really see the makings of an excellent line.
I also think Moulson was signed to do with Eichel or McDavid what he did with Tavares.
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I hear ya... So that makes putting 5-best together difficult. With Ennis you have 6 wingers mentioned, although for half of them you said they should "get a look." I am really looking forward to this team stepping up as they gel and having a good PP is an area that I think would account for the biggest jump in the win column.
Mike Green is out there as a big-ticket free agent.
Not a big fan, but he would help the power play.
I have a hard time seeing GMTM relying on Neuvirth next year. I think he wants the team to be much, much better next year, and he knows this can't happen without a real goalie. Neuvirth hasn't shown anything since he's been here other than a propensity for injury.
He's shown flashes and definitely has talent. But mostly, yeah.
The thing is, who are the other choices? Niemi might be better, but he's not the long-term answer and will be expensive.
The other guys out there are mostly just versions of Neuvirth.
Murray's really backed himself into a corner.
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Interesting that Ennis is the odd man out. He was the MVP last year, as voted by the players, right? I have thought for years that he is the most talented puck possession guy on the team. If you watch him closely on the PP, with space, he makes things happen and has puck control. Much more so than Derek Roy used to have and I hated seeing Roy play Ennis's role. Perhaps the rookies will displace him. And if the team is so much better that Ennis is displaced, I think we made a big step forward.
I didn't mean to leave Ennis out. He will definitely have a role for the reasons you state.
Risto and Zadorov will also get time and I hope they take a step up. They are the future.
I was mostly talking about new guys that could help a terrible unit.
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I'm to the point where I think Neuvirth is our goalie next year.
He's here, Murray likes him and I don't see a better option for him or the Sabres.
Give him a one-year fat deal, $4 million like Meszaros, or a three-year deal at a lower rate.
How about PP units? They have lacked the talent to score on the PP the last few years, and that is certainly reflected in the Goals/Game and W/L record. I think there is finally talent to assemble a decent PP unit, but I cannot even fathom what it would be.
Kane hasn't been a good PP guy in his career, but should be tried as the shooter or the net guy.
Reinhart, Grigorenko and McEichel all have to get a look and will add skill.
Moulson has to be better as a garbage collector with better playmakers.
The point continues to be an issue. Bogosian has a good shot and was an offensive guy in junior.
He never really got much of a shot in the Peg behind Enstrom and Big Buff.
It will be interesting to see if he's got game.
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I can't stand Phaneuf.
But would he be someone Murray would consider?
We need a top-four d-man and are in better shape to take a bad contract than just about anyone.
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Oh what the hell, let's play fantasy hockey
O'Reilly McEichel Moulson
Ennis Reinhart Kane
Gionta Girgensons Foligno
Larsson/McCormick/Flynn/Deslauriers
Methot Bogosian
Gorges Ristolainen
Zadorov Pysyk
Weber
Neuvirth/Some young guy stuck in some system
O'Reilly is here for Girgorenko, Hodgson, Islanders 1st and a conditional pick based on his resigning
Methot or some similar veteran Dman is our big free agent signing.
Other goalie comes in a relatively cheap trade.
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Here's nice recap of Kane's "character issues"
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/a-timeline-of-kanes-indiscretions-with-jets/
Lots of smoke but very little fire. It will be interesting to see how things go for him in Buffalo, which isn't exactly a big city, but has a lot more experience dealing with — and probably different expectations of — rich young athletes.
I'm also very intrigued by reports that Kane's agent is very tight with Murray, to the point that he was strongly rumoured for a management job here.
It's Craig Oster, whom by the way, is also Ryan O'Reilly's agent.
Some very nice fuel for us message board conspiracy theorists.
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I fully expected Buffalo to win the lottery if we didn't finish last.
Now that we will, I fully expect an MFF like the Leafs or the Flyers to swoop in.
Thats how thing roll around here.
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Any bad Leaf contracts we can take of their hands for pennies on the dollar?
Kessel for Danny Flynn and the rights to Dixon Ward's second child?
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Any sense that Vancouver was in on E. Kane?
Either way, we don't really know what Kane's value will be in 3 years or if Benning (or whoever) Vancouver will have any interest.
They were, quite hard, according to Vancouver media.
Apparently, the Canucks weren't willing to include Virtanen or Horvat and therefore couldn't match Buffalo's offer.
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This season has not helped Nolan's chances of being here after locker cleanout day.
And nothing Murray has said, particularly yesterday, should make him feel any more comfortable.
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I cant envision how a "generational player" is not in the NHL next year.
I also can't envision how Reinhart and McEichel cannot be at least as good as Flynn and Mitchell.
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I would be very surprised if Reinhart and McEichel aren't here next year.
We will try to build a veteran checking line to shield them.
Reinhart would look very good with Ennis and Kane, IMO.
McEichel gets Moulson and big guy to protect him. (Yes, Stewart would be nice)
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It sounds more like Lemieux didn't accept Buffalo's offer.
That's not the same as wasn't going to sign.
Looks more likely Lemieux was simply waiting in the hopes he could boost his value above a second-rounder.
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I like Freeman's lineup, although Kaleta won't be back.
Think about this group in five years:
Kane McEichel
Reinhart
Girgensons
Zadorov Ristolainen
Bogosian
Complement that with the best of or the returns from: Ennis, Foligno, Hodgson, Bailey, Baptiste, Fasching, Carrier, Grigorenko, Larsson, Compher, Deslauriers, Cornel, Karabacek, Hurley, Pysyk and McCabe and this year's three remaining high picks.
Can that be the core of a cup-winner?
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I imagine this trade got done because Tim Murray thinks Zach Bogosian is better than Tyler Myers and Kevine Cheveldayoff feels exactly the opposite.
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Not done yet
Of course not. Stewart is gone for sure.
You got anything solid?
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Didn't Pominville - - - - > Zadorov?
What I was trying to do was throw all the returns from core trades into the hopper and show who we eventually acquired to fill their roles, ignoring the actual prospects we picked. Pominville ----> was basically everything that was left over.
Basically Armia/Blues first/Lemieux/2nd rounder to trade up for Zemgus kinda equals Zadorov/Compher/Larsson/Carrier in terms of draft value. Actual player value still to be determined. And I ignored picks after the second round and iffy prospects like Hackett as not having any significant value.
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So are we all happy now? Darcy's core is dead, gone, and buried.
There is still the fate of a few UFAs to be determined and a few pick to be made, but the dust is clearing
It's a little complicated with all the trades, but once you cross off traded picks and prospects for similar acquired picks and prospects, you are left with this:
Vanek -----> Kane
Roy -----> Girgensons
Stafford -----> Moulson
Gaustad -----> Stewart
Myers -----> Bogosian
Sekera -----> Gorges
Miller -----> Neuvirth
Pominville ----> A late first, three 2nds and Torrey Mitchell
two seasons of suck -----> a chance to pick Reinhart and McEichel
If we could turn the Pominville haul into Ryan O'Reilly and luck into a goalie, I would say job well done.
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So, do we have the ammunition to pull off another?
Myers was our biggest chip and Stafford, Enroth and an extra first were most of the other cards we had to play.
Can we pull off O'Reilly with the pieces we've got left, at the deadline, or the draft?
Or at least a lower-case version?
Seems to me with McEichel (fingers crossed), Reinhart and Kane added to the top nine, a two-way guy to upgrade Mitchell's role and shield the kids should be a priority, along with a top four defenceman, preferably one that can play the powerplay.
Stewart has to be on the table, and we have cap space, role players and more prospects/picks to play with.
That's not a lot.
I think that's why I still somehow see Richards in Blue and Gold.
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So are they going to sign Neuvirth now?
Trade: Myers, Stafford, Armia, Lemieux, + Low 1st for Kane, Bogosian, and Kasdorf
in The Aud Club
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