PerreaultForever

Runs? Sure he does. Tom Wilson? Fine. I disagree but if he's that I'm fine with it. Also disagree he will be there round 2.

You can do that as well, but then you have to give up thing(s). Either way it depends on the details. I just don't see a sure fire star player in the top 10 and am looking at other dark horse candidates. This draft is a bit of a guessing game with the limited games and recent scouting.

Yup. Obviously I'd want something for that down trade. You make it sound like I'd just give away the first overall for say the 17th overall and a bag of pucks. I'd want either multiple high picks in return or another first next year or more depending on what it is. He's the type of player we need, and I'd hate for Boston to get him 🙂 The top picks in this draft are not immediate impact players.

You know the guy that really intrigues me in this draft is Zachary L'Heureux. I would trade down to get him mid 1st round or make a deal for a second first round pick. I know this will raise a few eyebrows and maybe a few scoffs, but I think he could be the next Brad Marchand.

hey same for me. Friday. Finally.

This is an annoying thing to read. https://www.necn.com/news/national-international/taylor-hall-trade-has-transformed-bruins-offense-into-elite-5v5-group/2455897/

Crosby's definitely grittier than he was (back for example in that series where Giroux demolished him and they went down to defeat) . I just meant that team as a whole was a skill team and not very tough but so skilled they won it all. It's a rare occurrence. You're more likely to have a Bruins/Canucks type situation where the more talented ends up on the losing end.

Well, my view is trade Eichel and then signing FAs is wide open and it's the dawn of a new era. BUT, we probably won't, we probably won't do much, and then I just pray we sign a goalie (or two). I am truly afraid this team will think it can stay the course.

Thompson hasn't been good lately imo and I agree with this. I even suggested a benching a game ago. He briefly started to play a little more like a big power forward but has slowly drifted back to all his old bad habits. Guy doesn't get it. Granato is right to demote him.

As always you know everything and there's no talking to you. Have a good day.

First, I've sung the praises of Cozens from the draft onwards. Nothing added needed. Quinn and Peterka remains to be seen. I'm high on Peterka, not sure about Quinn. Second, you win in the playoffs with the ability to face and deter what the opposition throws at you. Again, Tampa got tougher for a reason. Pittsburgh, with prime Crosby is the only recent (arguable) exception to the rule that you need toughness to win it all. It'd be great if you can do that with true power forwards and young studs, but in a salary cap era, generally you need the low cost Simmons type players to fill out the bottom end and your reserves. yes they are. Again, Tampa did pretty good importing it.

I'm not sure what you mean. My point was never that you add Wayne Simmons and suddenly you're a great team, that's silly, but you can't win building a team simply on analytics and/or offensive prowess either. Toronto got beat and beat again by Boston and has made a concerted effort to get tougher, much like Tampa had to do. You need a balanced team in the playoffs that can play to the conditions of the game and the opposition. In one series you might dress fasty mcspeedster and in another you might bench him and play roughy mcroughster but you need to be able to do both, and Toronto is a better team by adding low cost toughness in players like Simmons to their skilled, but soft, upper roster. We haven't faced much of that so some people forget. Nobody has felt it necessary to lay into us because they can beat us with minimal output. IFF we ever get good and fast enough to be a real threat we will see tougher opposition and this roster (with a few exceptions) won't be able to handle it. Mitts has already gotten shoved around a bit, but just a little. Nothing serious yet cause it's not necessary. Dalton Smith's aren't your answer. They need to be a little more skilled than that, but remember when you have toughness on the roster and you feel there are people there who will step up then some of the other players play tougher and bigger too and the whole team gets braver and better.

Assuming we don't trade Eichel and add more grit(which is my preferred option) my view is close to this. I would, however leave the Skinner-Reinhart-Olofsson line intact as I think this combo is bringing out the best in Sam and the dynamics of it work better. R2-Eichel-Cozens intrigues me as a possibility. All 3 can skate, shooter in R2, playmaker/superstar in Eichel carrying and playmaking, and Cozens is strong on the wall and not afraid of net front presence. A good complementary mix. I'm not sold on Thompson or Bjork but for now, is what it is.

You're simply wrong. and I will remind you of it one day when this team has sufficient skill but gets pushed and hit out of the game because they are soft and disrespected.

I agree with everything except this "relic of the 90's" idea. His coaching concept was based on the success less talented teams like Finland had at the worlds. Not some outdated concept. Tight defense first hockey can still win you hockey games (look at Pittsburgh's shift) and is far from outdated. His ideas just didn't mesh with this roster and the personalities on it.

Hamilton Ontario used to have the best pizza anywhere. Place called Valentinos.

There's no tank, because there's no guaranteed superstar. I'd even consider trading down for the right deal.

When you say quips like this I think you don't understand the game of hockey at all. Do you or did you ever play?

Markstrom, Khudobin, Griess, Holtby. Quite a few goalie FAs last year. Also think we could have pried one out of Arizona if we'd tried.

Well they like Simmons in Toronto but no matter. Yes, that was their Staal argument, not mine. Foligno is a Foligno.

UPL was pretty good, but I still think if their plan is to play him as one of our 2 goalies next year it's a mistake. Refs definitely seemed to favour the Rangers. Some real BS calls when it mattered. Decent effort, kind of the same. Cozens made that early gaff but then seemed to turn it up for the rest of the game. Shows character to me. I like that. Also liked Borgen.

and he was 100% right.

Right. paying Taylor Hall was a much better decision. 🙂

It is a little like that but I wouldn't be bringing him in for huge point numbers but for the character and leadership that the young guys can see first hand and learn from. In 3 years or so he's done and Cozens or whoever takes over.

Which is exactly why I'd try to land Nick Foligno. He's a leader, he has local ties, and he can be that guy to teach work ethic and team spirit etc. for the next 3-5 years and then one of the kids takes over (maybe Cozens). Sam is definitely not captain material.