PerreaultForever

Possible, but I'm not really worried about it. I suppose it comes down to whether or not you think Mitts/Cozens or Krebs is a legit #2 center (assuming Tage at #1). If for example you think Mitts will take the great leap forward this year drafting a sure fire Zemgus replacement isn't a terrible outcome. We're going to need all kinds of players on the roster in different roles. Kasper is a relatively safe pick and the work ethic is definitely what you want going forward. Having said that, I'm thinking I'd probably still pick Savoie. It will be interesting (and perhaps tempting) to see how far the Russians fall. I'd still like to see them pick Warren or Lamoureux, but if McKenzie's draft order holds up that would be sweet at 41 (Warren).

It's not so much that Savoie will bust, I don't think so, but he might take a long time to transition into the bigger and tougher NHL game. Briere is the hope, but Briere took a while to become Briere too. Kasper might be the safer choice. I'm honestly not sure this year. I guess to use the popular vernacular Savoie has a higher ceiling, but Kasper has a higher floor. I just don't like Lambert. Don't think he has the right attitude so not worth the risk. Overall I would rather they made the safer picks this year rather than swinging for the fences. We are at a pivotal point and a solid draft is all we need. A great draft is possible but a failed draft could turn everything upside down again.

You never know with drafts, but that has the potential for disaster. Gauthier likely gone before we pick as he keeps moving up and up so Savoie is a definite possibility. Is he too small? idk. It's a tough one. Definitely has skill.

Regarding the unsigned, just start winning and they will ALL clammer and beg to sign asap.

It's highly possible. Montgomery is the other name being mentioned but Quinn is a leading candidate for sure. Don't think it has anything to do with Eichel but the brain trust does like the local connections. Neely is on record having said he would have drafted Eichel over McDavid. An old comment from their first season that gets resurrected each year the Bruins fail to win the cup. But who knows, maybe Mungo still believes it. Bruins fans are still miffed over the Sweeney extension and old wounds over not keeping Gorton way back when have been resurrected so the Quinn thing would be interesting. For those who ignore the Bruins totally, when Gorton was interim GM for Boston in 2006 he drafted Kessel, Lucic and Marchand, traded Raycroft for Rask, and signed Chara. Was then pushed back down to assistant GM when Chiarelli was hired and he was fired the next year and went over to NY. Gorton's 2006 draft is often contracted with Sweeney's 2015 disaster. Go figure how Boston stays good with management decisions like that. Quinn's a decent coach though. I suspect if they do hire him they are hoping he can elevate some of their younger players in contrast to how Cassidy would only go with veterans.

Will they be idk, but they should be. The way I look at it, is if any of these guys are upgrades from who was playing the position on this year's team, well then it's a good signing, even if it might not be a perfect signing. There are many options.

lol, I've been critiqued at times for going on about the same things over and over again too. It's okay, kind of ends up happening until they actually fix it. We have the draft in a little bit and a few weeks to free agency. Kind of a hopeful anticipatory period. Come the end of July we should have a good feel for things and be pessimistic or optimistic about next season accordingly. As I've said many times, I think this team can take a leap forward and this is a good moment to do it, I hope so. KA may have a longer time line in mind which may work eventually, but will piss me off for now. We shall see.

Sports is always about heroes and villains. After his comments following the return to Buffalo loss he will forever be cemented as a villain in my book. I truly hope his time in Vegas is horrible.

They are totally full of it. You can always say we need more elite players, we need more talent, whatever. It's a silly argument. Obviously, the more skill you have on a team the better it's chances, but it's still a team sport and a lot of things go into it. I mean Connor McDavid had the most points. Draisaitl had the most assists and Evander Kane had the most goals, but none of them played in the final . Although McKinnon had the most shots on goal Arturi Kehkonen had the most game winning goals (so I guess that makes him elite). Hitting in the draft is what really matters. Makar obviously, but how about Bowen Byram who was damn impressive all series. Many pieces go into the mix.

and people will pay attention if we win games. Perceptions will not change, and they shouldn't, if we don't win games.

True, but I don't put all of that on the organization. When the players who are supposed to lead don't lead, it becomes pretty hard to work with. Current orgnaization just cleaned house and started over. Only option. The correct option imo, that I had been advocating for a couple years now. I still believe that if they'd named ROR captain things may have gone quite differently.

It's not about a "dream goalie" but it can be better than just a "stop gap". Rumour has Husso in the 4X4 range, so offer him 5. Kuemper, Campbell, Fluery, DeSmith, there are goalies out there. Just overpay one of them to come here. I don't really care if 3 years from now we have too many goalies and we are over paying the guy who is fading, I think that'd be a refreshing issue to deal with. What I don't want is a season of "if only we had a good goalie we'd be a contender ". It's time. It's time for this franchise to think like a winner and raise the bar of acceptability accordingly. We can't let this new generation learn to be okay with losing.

Casey DeSmith is the guy I think most likely to fall to us in this scenario. Not the worst option by far.

and so is Canada, so I doubt that's the issue. I think it's just that he decided to sit back and cash his cheques for a while before choosing a prime situation.

"stop gap measures". It's high time the team (and fans) stopped thinking like that. We need a winning option, not a stop gap.

I almost feel sorry for Corey Perry. But I don't.

It's all BS though, don't forget that. Guy wanted out. They used the injury and the Sabres position as leverage for getting out. The Jack wants out rumours started a long time ago and clearly, they were real. The guy NEVER put the team first. Glad it's over.

To me it doesn't matter how much he gets, or how many points, what matters is will that team win more games with him. He certainly didn't deliver wins down the stretch and was less than impressive in big key moments. So Jack with a Matthews type season and a few awards sure, go for it, but if Vegas misses the playoffs at the same time, that's another story isn't it? It will also be interesting to see if he shies away from contact or babies the injured area in any way. He was never an overly physical guy (although he should have been) but if he constantly thinks about the injury and avoids contact, his game will suffer big time, and I can see that possibility happening.

This makes no sense. He will still be a UFA after the year is over, even if he does agree to be moved to a contender for a cup run at deadline. I doubt he'd care about that though, he already has a bunch of rings. He's only going to do what is right for him and his family. The only scenario where we give up anything bigger is IF by some miracle we are in the playoff hunt at the deadline. Then maybe. and only maybe.

That definitely makes sense to me. regarding Kane. Forsberg might, but I will be curious to see if Fiala gets anywhere near what you are projecting. I don't think he will.

Yes but if Kane says I want to end my career in Buffalo and I will only go to Buffalo, and then KA says we want Kane but we are quite happy to wait until the season is over and sign him as a UFA but we will give you a 2nd and Bjork if you want to do it now what can Chicago do? Absolutely nothing. The question might rest on whether either team (Buffalo or Chicago) is a playoff contender at the time. That changes it.

Oh my Jackie boy is either going to become a whole new person or Vegas will have serious issues. To quote: "You’ve got a high-end offensive player that hasn’t won and now he’s got to put the crest first. And I’m not saying he didn’t do that in Buffalo because I don’t know what happened there, but at the end of the day that will be the conversation". –Cassidy on TSN 1200

I could be wrong, but I thought you could renegotiate the final year of a deal if you were signing them to an extension. Maybe you can't any more, I'm no CBA expert.

So should we pay Kane 9 million? I'd be reluctant to go that high but maybe if the term was no more than 3 years. So we can Taylor Hall them and give up a 2nd rounder and Bjork? I'd definitely do that.

That's a very good question. My answer would be not yet. Cautiously optimistic perhaps. Risto trade was good. Eichel trade looks good. Reinhart deal to be determined. Goaltender so far totally botched. FA signings pretty much non existent or irrelevant. A lot rides on what he does this year. The scouting definitely remains to be seen. Power was a no brainer. Have to see how the rest pan out. In 2-3 years you can judge them properly. I want the same things as you. Definitely want to raise the bar and be a contender. A real contender. Both those teams built through the draft first. Colorado moved out some big names to bring in multiple picks. If the Eichel trade works out as well for us as the Duchene trade worked for them we will fare well. Can't waste those Vegas picks though. We hit on them we will. Remember Tampa almost lost Stamkos to Toronto (or maybe Buffalo?) but it was great or lucky drafting that got them where they are. We need to land our own version of Pointe and so so forth. Dream of all teams I guess. But first, we need a goalie(s)!!!!!!!!