3putt

But it looks bad because Kulikov and OK didn't play and ROR is at 80%. As much as he took crap for being a bad fancy stat player, Jack took pressure off of our d with his ability to gain the zone without them. If Franson is in the press box for 6/7 games and Gorges is tutoring Nelson in sheltered minutes it will look better. Not great but better. Oh...picking high might not be a bad thing for one more year. Not advocating a tank, but the talent level in Edmonton, Toronto, the Peg, Calgary TBD and elsewhere is pretty strong. If we get another asset to either develop or trade that is not bad. I want a team that can win it all not simply make a cameo in April. I am willing to give it the time it needs.

The sky is definitely not falling. I think your reaction to the last couple of days was a direct result of your perspective on whether you thought we were a playoff ready team. I got sacked into the hype, but I have come to realize that we are still on schedule for a reasonable rebuild playoffs or not. When you looked at the contracts we had at the end of last season, there was no way we were a playoff team and you can't buy out or bury everyone. When Gorges, Franson, Moulson, Gionta Ennis Foligno and Dlo are replaced with new and better versions like Bailey, Nylander, Guhle et al, we will not only be a playoff team but perhaps even a contender. We will get by, we will survive.

Then maybe there is a bigger issue, because Bylsma definitely preaches the play fast mantra. Gio, Jack, ROR all have said that in interviews.

Is trade with Edm your default? They have no reason to take Franson much less give anything up to get him. You need to find another whipping boy team, because Edmonton is much improved if for no other reason than McDavid is feeling his oats and dominating.

I would advise against game center. Watching McDavid causes sudden outbursts of "Why are we cursed" and " Bettman" and is followed by sudden onset of depression and spontaneous week night binge drinking. I am trying to cancel and get my money back. It might kill me ;)

In the article about Samson's summer skating regimen he stated that he prefers playing with faster players because he doesn't think he just plays and let's his instinct takeover. That was why he enjoyed playing with Jack. I would like to see Samson in the middle with speed on his wings.

Psyched. Now put him on Samsons wing. That of course means moving him to center.

No they don't. Toronto was even more arrogant about getting Matthews and they had less of a chance to hit the lottery.

^ this

In your world why would the Jets take Bogo back much less give up anything for him?

Unless we admit we are not a cusp playoff team. If one takes the pov that we are waiting for dead space to come free with Gionta, Gorges Moulson and Franson coming off the books, we are right on schedule. :flirt:

He may very well do that, but no one has ever accused him of being fast. If you are building a play fast identity, he is definitely a round peg in a square hole. That is more my point. What is this teams identity? If speed is the new elixir, we do not have enough of it in the top 9 as constituted even adjusting for injuries. You can't tell slow players to play fast. It just doesn't work.

But the central point, Okposo doesn't fit the play fast mantra. Good player no doubt but sort of a round peg square hole. And that's ok if you add another vet that can score I.e. Hudler, Pirri etc. but extending Foligno and Girgs on prove it deals and Dlo for whatever reason seem like odd moves that don't quite fit

Yeah, maybe we fire the O Coordinator?

Maybe we can fire the offensive coordinator

I expressed a similar concern in the GM thread. There is a disconnect between the identity and the personnel charged with creating it.

I like TMs refreshing candor, but I honestly would have went the other way on most of his major decisions except drafting Sam and Jack. I won't rehash the past but I am not seeing the obvious way forward in his plan. If you are not patient enough to bet on all the draft picks we accumulated and trade them for "NHL" ready players, you can't then stand pat this off season and not continue to acquire "NHL" ready players to plug obvious holes when there is no one in the system to step in. I get contracts and cap, but then you have to deal roster players. And yes there were UFAs available. I am firmly behind this team, it is just tough watching other teams and seeing the plan and not seeing it here. And that includes Toronto.

But to be fair Moulson, Foligno, Gorges Franson or Grant are not possession players. They simply don't have the skill to maintain possession at speed. I am not defending the system but rather wondering what you do with this group, sans Jack Kane and Okposo other than dump and chase. My frustration is that we have arguably NHL ready kids with speed that are sitting in Rochester while DLo gets significant minutes. And I don't want to hear about grit, I want speed. And hands

I'd throw Fasching in that group. I would like to see Samson centering Fasching and Girgs.

Hudler would look nice in blue and gold right about now. Yup

Lmao :)

Knee to the head ouch.

And who is responsible for that?

It was tipped, not a softie

Lehner!