HumanSlinky39

His defense on that overtime goal was woeful and all too familiar.

Fair points. I still don't get what Detroit is doing. Yzerman has done a solid job drafting and made a couple nice signings/trades with DeBrincat and Kane, but most of his FA signings have been terrible and his inaction in-season has torpedoed multiple seasons where they could/should have made the playoffs. Apparently 6 years of failure gets you fired anywhere but Detroit and Buffalo. Re: Edmonton - Winning there shouldn't be hard when you have 2 of the best players in the world. He failed to get them a goalie. He handed out some awful contracts that has limited what they've been able to put around McDavid/Draisaitl (guys like Conner Brown/Arvidsson/Henrique/Skinner, Jeff). If he was brought in as a POHO and his power was limited to consulting, fine. I just wouldn't want him having too much influence on roster decisions. He has won, so I guess it wouldn't be a bad thing having him around in a limited role.

I don't know, but I'm not paid to make these decisions. I just know that Holland didn't leave his last two stops in a great position. He wrecked Detroit (not that I mind that), and didn't do enough in EDM and has left them without a goalie and a number of bad contracts.

Pass on Holland. He torpedoed the Red Wings on his way out and they still haven't totally recovered. Couldn't win a cup with McDavid +Draisaitl and handed out numerous bad contracts in EDM (Darnell Nurse? Oofta). Also failed to get them a goalie that's any better than "average." Granted, they got close last year, but close is no cigar.

He's going to be 83 right after the season starts and what did he do on Long Island that would make anybody want him? I would hope if we are GM shopping we could do better. But maybe not.

7 x 7.5 seems right. His upside looks like a ppg or near ppg player who eventually becomes an acceptable defender. I'd say his floor going forward is 20-25 goals and 50-55 points.

I've only been able to watch the Habs/Caps game on Monday. That game was really physical. Can't speak to the others, but I really enjoyed that game. For most of the game, the Caps looked much bigger/stronger than the Habs and it looked like they were gonna boat race them. But the Habs kept fighting and eventually forced OT. I don't like their chances in that series at all, but MTL is a well coached team with a roster that doesn't get rattled and plays well together. They did their rebuild right and should have a bright future.

Yeah. I've been saying (and I don't think I'm alone) that this organization isn't going anywhere until we get a clean sweep of the operations/coaching side. The culture sucks? Well, yeah. They haven't made the playoffs in 14 years and are moving in the wrong direction. The way things sound, if any changes are coming it's going to just be some musical chairs with the current power structure. How does shifting around the people responsible for the culture, the flawed roster, and the pitiful coaching change anything? The organization needs an enema, and it sounds like they're just preparing to pop some Pepto. No sweeping changes = a 15th year of no playoffs and each year you spin your wheels, you're shortening the runway for this current core (and it's a talented core, it just needs some help) to win anything.

This business side will suck as long as the on ice product sucks. Good luck, Jake.

Caps look waaaay too big and strong for the Habs.

You're right. I saw 35 games in 2020/21 and forgot that was a 56 game season. Still, 2/3 years is scary.

I'm operating under the assumption Adams isn't going anywhere and if that's the case, my answers are above.

Demko has missed significant time due to injury in 3 of the last 5 seasons. Good goalie when he can play but with that injury history, it would be a HUGE risk counting on him.

Hard pass on Pettersson. Who has woefully underproduced since signing that huge extension. He is extremely talented but has been horribly inconsistent throughout his career. He's also had high-profile locker room issues in VAN. Does that sound like the kind of player a struggling franchise that needs productive veteran help needs? Not to me. I don't think they're really similar at all. Skinner was a solid producer on offense who treated playing defense like a nuisance. EP40 is a very skilled, but wildly inconsistent offensive player. The big difference is that he's actually been a pretty solid defensive forward most of his career. He got Selke votes in 2023 & 2024. Not sure if he will this year.

Future top-6 winger. I think he could develop into a steady 25-30 goal, 60 point guy. He's played 2 full seasons, so a lot of us forget he's only 19. Plus, he plays as hard, or harder that, anyone on the roster. His future is bright.

Is that bad? Seems bad.

Adams is a dope. That's what I got from that. If he's not launched into outer space, God help us.

I'll believe any of this when I see it. And if true, Adams fails in one area so he gets Peter Principle'd into another? Sounds about right for this outfit.

"Many." Yeah, that's because they are looking from 10,000 foot view at a failing plan from the outside. A young team that should be making consistent gains regressing two straight seasons. Year 5 of the current regime with no playoffs that is moving in the wrong direction. To anybody with a modicum of common sense, an organization moves on from that resume. But they haven't been paying attention to what's going on up close. This isn't a serious hockey organization, so you can not expect moves to be made as if they were one.

My biggest frustration is exactly this. Moreover that we were in that same spot following 2023 and 2024. They're close. They've been close. They have talented pieces, but each season has shown that collectively they are not good enough. There's no reason to "blow up" the roster. There are plenty of talented individual pieces that may not fit with the others, that should be/should have been used to bring in the kind of complimentary pieces that would make this a playoff team. But we have a GM who seems to be intent on building a playoff team organically. Nobody does it organically. You have to go outside the organization to supplement the homegrown talent. Adding B-tier free agent guys like Zucker and Clifton is fine, but it is not near enough. KA either doesn't believe in that philosophy or is too bought into his "palm trees & taxes" ***** that he doesn't think it can be done. Either way, that is a fireable offense. Get this errand boy out of here and get somebody in here with some balls that will aggressively attack the myriad weaknesses on this roster.

Win. 900 for Lindy. Thank God it's over.

OMG, they have to Alamo the last 30 seconds? How else could this dreadful season end?

They need to lock him up. Good 3C who can slide up or down in a pinch, fast as hell, decent scorer, solid defender, and good on the PK.

Was it? I missed the 1st period.