TrueBlueGED

This is way more interesting than the Worlds to me. Top players will be here rather than in the playoffs, and there's the whole actually being able to watch on TV thing.

Handedness balance? Thats all I got. And I think I'd rather have PK playing offhand with a goalie stick than Bouwmeester.

Why?

As of today, I'd roll with this at forward: Ennis-O'Reilly-Okposo Girgensons-Eichel-Reinhart Kane-Larsson-Gionta Foligno-COR(God help us)-Carrier Deslauriers I don't hate the top-9, but it definitely carries more uncertainty than I'd like to see for a team gunning for the playoffs. The 4th line is a center away from being good (depending on Carrier). Looks like the walking definition of a bubble team to me.

Sorry, he's in cardiac arrest.

I knew you'd come around! :D

If by fine you mean we can technically ice enough forwards to have a 4th line, then sure. But like Flagg, I was hoping it'd be more than a "these guys all suck let's stick them together and hope for the best" line. Plus the moment and injury hits, one of those losers ends up playing major minutes. I dislike that situation.

He'd be a nice center for the line. Sign me up.

With Hudler gone, who is left for some cheap forward depth with offense? Pirri? Maybe Murray really is satisfied.

Go hump Foligno's leg more why don't ya.

You've lost your mind. Well done :beer:

Drop the zero :p (I'm almost not joking)

Moulson is shot, Kane is going to miss 15-20 games (and has a questionable fit), Ennis is a giant question mark (both in terms of health and fit), Deslauriers should be the team's 13th forward, and if you know what Foligno is going to give on a year to year basis I'll buy you a yacht. The left side is a gigantic question mark that I'd like to see addressed with the addition of another legitimate NHL player.

I still think Murray would prefer to add another forward capable of playing on one of the top three lines. Not sure if he'll get what he wants on that front, but I am with Dudacek in that I expect a depth defenseman to be signed.

Great post Flagg, but dammit, looking at the US roster has made me mad all over again.

That's a really young team for the AHL, isn't it? Lot of talent, but light on experience.

Cryptic! Maybe even teasing us! You know we're a bunch of addicts, don't hold the needle against our skin unless you're going to go all the way! :P Edit: Wait, this is the disappointment thread. Go away you, nobody wants a bad shoe to drop.

I went with the partial homer pick in Bailey. Part of it is wanting the local kid to succeed in a big way, but there are very legitimate reasons for optimism--the raw physical skill set, the progression throughout the year, and the glimpses at the NHL level. There's a part of me that is worried he's a bigger Brian Holzinger, but F it, I believe in the kid.

Bronze: Not getting Vesey. Silver: The only defensive change being Kulikov for Pysyk. On the other hand, disappointment is a function of expectations, and I didn't honestly expect more than one move on the blue line, soooo maybe I should just say not getting Fowler. Gold: Kane. In less than a calendar year I went from being totally stoked about seeing him finally hit the ice, to being less-than-enamored with his play and inability to find chemistry with our best players, to...the offseason. Just bleh all around.

Gold: Drafting Nylander. I just love that pick to pieces. Silver: Signing Okposo--though I'm still not huge on the 6th and 7th years of the contract, adding a legitimate 1st line caliber forward will be a very helpful in the medium term. Bronze: Jack looking like he added 10 pounds of muscle...to his shoulders. Big season coming.

All these lineups with Kane on Eichel's wing :cry: I think Nash would be freaking perfect there, just don't see how the money works. Even assuming hefty retention by NY, we'd need to shed significant salary to make it work. $4 million+.

Patriots lose Sebastian Vollmer for the year, and Dion Lewis indefinitely (could also miss the season). Huge losses.

Kane flubbed as many Eichel setups as anyone last year. Chemistry matters, of course, as do skills and play styles that are complementary of one another. But so does talent. Though Foligno's game had some qualities which fit nicely with Eichel, he doesn't have the skills to hang with him. Girgensons is the better option because he brings what Foligno does, but has more skill (I'm going to stay on this train until it explores in a fiery cataclysm). At least you've finally conceded that Moulson is finished :)

On the golf course, right? Carrying their clubs and whatnot? I can see it. Death, taxes, and Dudacek liking depth players more than he should :p

Good goalies, sure. Lundqvist-level? Not even close. Replace Lundqvist with a league average goalie and the Rangers may have missed last season. Lundqvist had a .920 SV% during the regular season, compared to a .922 career average. He was .920 two years ago as well. I really don't think it was a down year. He imploded in the playoffs and took his team with him, but that's really half the point. And he's 34--the decline is coming. As to the rest of the team, there's some nice pieces in the forward ranks, but that blue line is atrocious (and that was before losing Yandle). Girardi is a corpse on skates, and Staal isn't close to what he used to be. McDonagh is a stud and better than anyone we have at the moment (though I believe in Risto!), though. The Rangers may still be the better team this coming season, but I'd be awfully surprised if that holds true the following season.