TrueBlueGED

I'm actually not sure what his point was. In his analogy, is Boston or O'Reilly playing the part of Russia?

He was, but their total cap space with him making $0 without a contract is...$0.

Well, if he comes in around $8.5M, sacrificing one $2.8M or $3.8M contract isn't gonna get it done. Don't get me wrong, I think they make it work...but if we're talking RFA land for our center solution, I think he's infinitely more available than the other options.

Well, it was. Saad's season after the trade was rough, but he's clearly a top-6 winger by both traditional and advanced metrics. Of course, Panarin is a star, so.....still horrible, but not on the level of ROR horrible. Chicago at least got a quality NHL player out of it.

I would love to know what it would take to get Karlsson. Depending on his contract demands, I think he could very well be available given Vegas' cap situation.

So you think we can trade Risto for a Panarin-level player? I know Saad had a really rough season, but I don't think Risto's value is in the stratosphere of that trade. Also, whether Risto plays a more important position really depends on whether you think he's a 2D on a good team or someone who should play sheltered 3rd pair minutes with PP time.

Sir...

That would be a royal fleecing for us.

Just can't win with that O'Reilly guy.

Right. This is the problem with Sam as the solution...if he's not the solution, you're royally F'd. I have no problem with Sam at center being an option, but I have a massive problem with Sam at center being the plan. I 100% believe in Mittelstadt as 2C...just not this season. If we add a legit 2C and Mittelstadt explodes, then we could make a deep playoff run. Great! Just can't go relying on it a second season in a row.

Teams and GMs certainly think that, but over the long haul it really doesn't prove to be true. As to the data, doesn't it fall off a cliff after pick 2 or 3? Like, mid single digit deltas? Without looking it up, I'd guess the probability of being a good NHL player at pick 8 is single digits less than say pick 5. And, of course, there's the question of whether a 10% jump in hit probability is worth the (presumably) astronomical sum it would take to make the move up a few spots. Edit: Really good article here - https://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/analyzing-value-nhl-draft-picks/

So your solution is to return to the disastrous center spine of 2018?

I agree, and he can do it from the wing.

Which just reinforces why trading up in the NHL draft is near lunacy. After 1-2 or maybe 3, basically every year, the next 8 guys are the same. Sure, teams and scouts may have preferences, but that's all it is: preferences. There's no clear differentiator. Stay put and take your favorite at that spot.

I understand not wanting to overpay for a 2C when (hopefully) Mittelstadt can do it by next year. But if you don't fill the hole, the season is basically sunk. I know you believe in Sam, but are you willing to bet the season on him capably handling 2C for a playoff team? Expecting a 4C skating at 2C like Berglund to be enough of a backup plan is asking for pain, I think.

You honestly don't think we can get a Hayes-level player to sign here? C'mon man.

We all choose a hill to die on eventually.

Watchmen and Hellboy II? Sir, I say sir! My list, not in any particular order: Iron Man, Avengers: Infinity War, Thor: Ragnarok, Captain American: The Winter Soldier, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, Logan, Deadpool, Spiderman 2, Dark Knight. Honorable mentions to X2, First Class, Batman Begins, and the original Avengers.

Overpaying for a Kevin Hayes-level center may not be ideal, but it does plug the hole. It's a guarantee. The ceiling may not be as high as Reinhart blossoming as 2C, but the floor is considerably higher than what could easily be 2018 redux by counting on Reinhart and/or Mittelstadt to be playoff-caliber 2Cs.

How about we sign somebody to play with Sam instead? We finally found a winger who fits like a glove with Jack and you want to break that up for the sake of a Sam at center experiment? A pox on your house.

The flip side of this is that we really can't afford to go into the season with such a big question mark at such a critical position. Again. There's no way Botterill does this two years in a row, is there? That would signal a catastrophic failure of an offseason. If they choose to give Reinhart a chance at 2C, it should only be done with a viable alternative present on the roster. For instance, if we acquire Miller (or equivalent) who we know can play 2C at a competent level, that's one thing. But if the only alternative is Mittelstadt, that's recipe for killing the season before it starts.

So we're about to Pi be spectacularly wrong...again. Bring back the Matthews avatar!

Well, the first Deadpool is among the better comic book movies period, so that's a pretty high bar. I think X2, Logan, and First Class are just a half step behind it though.

Unless you're Pi...

Haven't yet, but hope to soon. The other half wants to see the new X-men, but I'm trying to convince her that's bad in a bad way whereas Godzilla is bad in a good way.