TrueBlueGED

I think Eichel is hilarious, and I'm not gonna get down on him for goofing off in a fun show for fans...but I wish he had the Michael Jordan homicidal maniac competitiveness. I'm not sure he does, and I don't think it's something that comes with age.

Maybe, but I'm really not interested in giving up value to find out.

Breaking news: hockey team is better with best players on the ice. More at 11.

1) Just because young players are improving under him does not mean they are improving because of him. Nor does it mean they wouldn't improve more under a different coach. 2) C'mon man, no player is going to come out and rip their current coach. Further, their regular comments about playing aggressive being how they need to play could easily be construed as "our coach holds us back until we're losing by two, and he shouldn't be."

Though I loved him as a prospect, as a pro, Lazar has shown the offensive acumen of Nic Deslauriers.

Agreed. In general, defensemen are more valuable than wingers, and it's unarguably a bigger hole for this team. And the finances are no joke, particularly if we can't shed one (or both) of Ennis/Moulson. O'Reilly, Okposo, Kane, Ennis, Moulson, Eichel, Reinhart...could easily combine for $42 million in two years (Kane at 6, Eichel/Reinhart at 6.5). With limited or no cap growth, that's a hefty figure. Moreover, though I'm very happy with Kane's play in the role he's been in recently, I'm not sure I feel comfortable investing $6 million in a winger who can't really play with our best players. Given all that, I'd rather trade him while his value was at its apex.

I'm probably the biggest proponent of using statistics in player evaluation on this forum, and I fundamentally do not understand how you can watch Eichel play and come away thinking he's merely very good. He has his flaws, but he's a dynamo with the puck on his stick, which is most of the time. And FWIW, raw points are the only measure where he would fall short of the elite category. Shot generation, primary points percentage, carry-in percentage...all elite. Get him a coach that plays a more open style at even strength and watch those raw goal/assist totals jump.

Score effects are fun.

For whatever it's worth: Jeremy White ‏@JeremyWGR 25m25 minutes agoMore Having a little fun over here cause ya gotta try. I think Bylsma is safe. Very safe. I'll say safe until at least New Year's.

Well, that was a pathetic piece of goaltending there.

Whatever GM has the stones to fire their current coach right now for the purpose of hiring Julien should win executive of the year. I'm serious. (Obviously you don't fire Babcock, Quenneville, etc.....but you get the point)

Well, he's capable of creating his own offense, whereas Stafford really wasn't so good at that.

I'd be mad if I wasn't already dead to this season.

Student affairs, particularly academic advising/counseling.

Barkov, Ekblad, Trochek, Huberdeau, Bjugstad, other guy I can't spell. Not a bad group right there.

It wouldn't make them more talented, but it could make them better by utilizing the talent more effectively.

Am I the only one who thinks Matt Duchene is overrated? Maybe if my team desperately needed a center, but overall, not a guy I'd give up the farm for.

I always got the impression the Seguin trade was mostly about management getting tired of hearing about the partying and whatnot. I mean, Julien had him playing with Bergeron, not exactly an unimportant role.

Hey man, it's not my fault our possession game resembles the intersection of toilets, excrement, and consumption of harmful substances.

*whispers* Go Sharks! (I want Byslma fired)

He'd be blaming Risto.

Well, the Panthers have a really nice core of players. I'm sure that has some appeal. Also, because we're too dumb to offer him our job :(

Boston is the best possession team in the league that's hit a bad stretch of shooting. Meanwhile, we're sucking turds in a toilet. The fact that Julien can get that type of team possession with the flaws on that roster bodes well for when the shooting turns around and/or roster improves. Bylsma's team will continue to muddle through even with more talent because he doesn't know how to generate possession consistently.

I think Marino is criminally underappreciated in these conversations. Edit: While it's hard to play a stats game historically due to changes in the game, Brady and Manning played during the same era, so comparing them on stats is absolutely fair.

Jonathan Toews has more Cups than Sidney Crosby. Therefore he is better. Right? :rolleyes: