GASabresIUFAN

Nice. Good luck to the kid. Hockey was always such a big deal at Nichols. I'm glad we are still producing good players.

Go Big Green!

There is usually 1-2 high quality players every year. Dzingel, Weeger, VO, Palat, and Kase among others are all 7th rd picks in recent years.

We’re just saying that it’s possible, although unlikely, that the 7th rd pick we get for Butcher could amount to something be it a 20 goal scorer like VO or a Star like Zetterberg.

Considering that VO is one of the only 5 7th rd picks in 2014 to make the NHL at all, and that he is 28th in pts in the entire 2014 draft class, I'd say that pick turned out ok.

I think you can sign him 5 for 5 if KA wants (I wouldn't), as long as you don't give him any kind of NMC/NTC. This way, assuming he remains productive, he can be traded where ever to get the cap hit off the books. It also is good insurance if guys like JJP, Rosen, Mitts or others don't develop as hoped.

A 7th rd pick can become Victor Olofsson.

No we need to get a bag of donuts for him at the deadline.

Sorry Drake. Get well soon and good luck with you future endeavors.

...and VO already makes $3.05. His RFA qualifying offer will be at least 3.05. I believe he'll ask for at least 5 for 5.

While I wrote trade, we've had this discussion in another thread. He'll be 27 next season. Outside of Skinner, who we are stuck with, the rest of the core forwards are 25 and younger. Tuch (25) and Thompson (24) are the oldest, with Mitts, Cozens, Krebs, Quinn, and JJP ranging from 20-23. That's already 8 forwards with more on the way in Rosen, the 2 Russians, and probably another top 8 forward draft pick from this coming draft. I just don't see VO as having a big roll here beyond the next 2 seasons. The argument for keeping him is of course there is no guarantee that all the kids will pan out and if we make a good deal, contract wise now, we can always trade him later. Ultimately it depends on the offers we get.

Slafkovsky is my choice based on what I saw last night. He may be NHL ready next year.

Trade

This Slafkovsky is a fantastic player. Only 17 and arguably the best player on the ice in the USA Slovakia game. This guy should be at the top of our draft list if we aren’t drafting in the top 4. We currently have the 7th overall pick.

I guess Victors agent told him to get his game back

He probably pullback a Dangerfield (Caddy Shack) and faked his injury so that he didn't have to play for Rasputin for a while.

Better?

I was surprised to see how much scoring is up. I wonder the reason. Better players? Expansion thining the talent pool in goal and on defense? Regardless, no matter Skinner does, outside scoring 45-50 every season, he'll never earn that contract price. It was a dumb contract to give him then and it's worse now. However it's a sunk cost and we need to get everything Skinner has to give. If he can maintain for the next few years a 30 goal 60 pt pace, then we should be thrilled with that return. It will be interesting to see what happens with Skinner when the team depth improves as Mitts returns, Cozens matures and we add Quinn, Krebs and JJP to the roster fulltime. Will his production increase with a harder to defend roster or decrease as PT gets more evenly distributed over the top 3 lines.

FYI: 5 weeks or more seems about the right time to kickoff the trade deadline season. Back in the 2019-2020 season the big Taylor Hall trade out of NJ in mid December 6 weeks before the deadline signaled a pick up in trade activity. The year prior the GMs were dealing nearly daily starting Dec 28th, but the big deals starting with the Rask/Niederreiter trade in mid Jan followed by the Jake Muzzin (for a 1st & 2 players) in 10 days later.

One trade almost always begins the trickle that ends with torrent that is the trade deadline. Last year our trade of Staal for two picks kicked off the trade deadline "season" nearly 3 weeks before the deadline. Trading a top 6 forward for a 1st rd pick I think qualifies for 1st move of the season.

And so it begins. Montreal trades Toffoli to Calg for a 1st, a 5th, Tyler Pillick (Rem's brother) and prospect Emil Heineman (Calg got him from Fla in the Sam Bennett deal). Toffoli has two years left at 4.25.

Good f'ing question. The simple answer is that the teams and players wanted it this way. The owners of big money teams want every advantage they can get. I went looking through all the teams cap situations in search of a goalie and was surprised by how many teams this season seems to have a bunch of players out injured. We have discussed Buffalo's terrible mess, but look at Mon, LV, Edm, Chi etc. 12 teams have 5 of move injured players.

Ultimately this team is going to be somewhat defined by the trades of the big 3 (ROR, Jack and Sam) From the looks of it we have received A top 6 center - Thompson, who is currently out pointing ROR, but obviously isn't the FO guy or 2 way player ROR is, but is also 7 years younger and being paid 6.1 million less for another year. (Both their contracts expire after next season). A Top 6 winger - While Tuch comes from the Eichel trade, he is essentially now is Sam's role. Sam 26, is now a pt a game player for Florida (16g 28a in 44 games) for $6.5 for the next 2 seasons and then he's a UFA. Tuch, who adds a physical dimension that Sam lacks, is 25, locked up for 4 more years at 4.75 and is producing equal to Samson at 6g 11a in 15 games. From a production standpoint we have replaced 2/3 of the production of the departed Big 3 for nearly 8 mill less. But now for the rest of the pieces. Peyton Krebs - He looks potentially like a top 6 playmaker we so desperately need. He isn't the talent Eichel was but he adds a sorely needed dimension to this team. Will continue to get better with time and I think he can replace 65 to 75% of what Eichel gave us production wise. Ryan Johnson - LHD turning pro after this college season. Reminds me of Jake McCabe in a good way. Could really help solidify the D, especially if he can play the right side. Devon Levi - On track to be the best goaltender in our system since Ryan Miller. His acquisition, if he continues to emulate the ascension of Ryan Miller, could be the difference maker in making this latest rebuild a Cup contender. Fla 1st rd pick in 2022 - Expect the pick to be late in the 1st. There are some intriguing players, especially D late in this draft class. LV 1st rd pick in 2022 - see above. Maybe KA can parlay these picks to move up in the 1st to grab some like Marco Kasper, who as 17 is carving out a role in the SHL, unlike Isak Rosen. To me Levi and Krebs are the keys. If they flourish, I think we'll walk away thinking we got younger and ultimately better without the Big 3. Still none of theses guys add the dynamic play of Eichel, but as we saw last night Krebs at least has the dynamic passing skills in his arsenal.

The Ralph Krueger effect on Skinner is remarkable. Skinner's best two seasons in Carolina were 63 pts (31 and 37 goals in those seasons) First year in Buffalo was 40 goals and 63 pts. 83 games under RK 16g 10a including 2g 1a in 25 games last year. This season 20g 14a in 45 games thus on pace for 36 goals 62 points.

We could use a poll to see what folks here think are the most likely organizational changes this off-season. Right now I believe that TP will sell a stake in the team and that Karmanos will be promoted to GM with KA becoming team President.