pi2000

It's not rising this coming season.

yes

hahaha, if you think guys like Girgensons and Bogo are due for breakout seasons just because DB is gone, you're in for a rude awakening.

Consider there are infinite parallel universes (there are). In atleast one of those universes game 7 of the WSH/PIT series never ends... ever. Perhaps we live in that universe.

Well, he IS a minus player.... sooooooooooooo

I disagree.

To me it's about individual greatness vs team oriented greatness. Ovechkin is a great individual player, but when I watch him play and compare him to a Crosby or Toews, he just doesn't do enough of the little things consistently enough to earn the right to be called a Champion.

It's not that simple. Most good players want to be great... but there's a difference being be a great player and being part of winning culture. You can be a great player without doing the little things it takes to win... relentless back check, blocking shots, sacrificing your body in every way imaginable just to win a game. Getting out of your comfort zone to contribute in ways that you aren't necessarily expected to. When winning at all costs becomes the singular focus of the locker room, then you'll start to win consistently. However, as long as there are a few guys who aren't willing to do those little things... guys who only care about being in the league, collecting a paycheck, and putting up stats, then the team will not have consistent success. It's more of a mindset than anything... when you take the ice, is your focus on protecting your spot on the team or on the scoreboard.

A couple caveats regarding U/RFAs (who's contracts technically don't expire until July 1st) and the expansion draft (June 21st). Any unprotected U/RFAs that Vegas selects (signs before July 1st) do not count toward the 60% salary cap requirement for the expansion draft (players they draft must add up to at minimum 60% of the salary cap). That said, during the 3 days preceding the draft, Vegas will have exclusive negotiating rights will ALL unprotected FAs in the draft pool. If they reach an agreement with any of them, they'll count as their pick from that team. FAs on BUFs roster include Kulikov, Franson, Girgensons, Austin, Foigno, Larsson, Carrier. A likely scenario is Vegas and Kulikov negotiate a deal, but he agrees not sign right away, so that allows Vegas to pick somebody else from BUF, and then officially sign Kulikov come July 1st. That carries some risk, but essentially allows them draft more than one player from each team. This also creates the scenario where a team may choose to protect a UFA to prevent Vegas from negotiating with them prior to the draft.

I'm talking about players only. The guys that actually play the game. IMO the trainer and coach don't have anything to do with the culture in the locker room. That comes from within the players and how focused they are on the task at hand, how important winning is to them. Like Eichel said on locker clean out day.... there are too many guys satisfied with just being in the league. They need more guys who hate to lose.

Culture inside the locker room is most definitely a huge thing. If your "leaders" are not 110% committed to doing everything it takes to win, then the team is going to struggle, no matter what the level of talent is.

Not true? Which of the bottom 6 have defensive skill sets? BUF ranked near the bottom of the league in takeaways because none of the forwards know how to defend, except for O'Reilly. Just go back and watch some games, it's plain as day. They spent a ton of time in their dzone because they couldn't get the puck back, not because of what they did when they had the puck. Larsson is the only guy in that group who has any defensive ability... and it's not much. The breakout strategy has nothing to do with the ability of players to defend and create takeaways.

The 3rd and 4th lines don't any defensively skilled players.

Bylsma's system wasn't designed to increase time spent in the dzone. In fact, it was quite the opposite (get pucks quickly moving north up and out of the zone). The problem was possession. BUF could not get pucks back in their own end for a myriad of reasons I've already gone over in other threads... the short of it is slow dmen, and forwards who don't have any defensive skill. In Bogo's case he lacks quickness and awareness... not a Bylsma issue.

I understand the Duck's tendies are having a rough night but Vatanen looks lost out there, some very weak plays on the puck the last 2 goals.

I think it's comical how some here think Bogo's struggles were because of Bylsma, and at the same time every player that excelled under Bylsma did it on their own. I think guys like Kane, Okposo, Eichel, guys that can get up and down the ice did well in that system. Risto had a big year offensively as well. How come Risto was so much better than Bogo in the same system? Answer is because Bogo has been and always will be a trainwreck in his own end. His decision making under pressure is horrendous. That has nothing to do with Bylsma.

Reinhart was clear #2 at the time. There was only the question of Ekblad or Reinhart at 2 depending on FLA.

With the current state of the NHL I think he fills a large role next season. If this was 10 years ago he'd need some more bake time, but this modern NHL puts a premium on slick skating defensemen, which is what Guhle is. His speed alone will make up for his mistakes. I see him starting on the third pair eventually moving up to second or top pair.

If that's the case I'd rather draft D at 8 and keep their prospects. It would take #8 overall, a second and Bailey or similar to land a top 4 young D. Which is too much to give at this stage of the rebuild IMO.

They only way they get a young top 4 dman in return is if they include a top prospect or two. I hope they don't give that up just to immediately fill a spot vs being patient and building the right way.

I very much agree with all of this. Well stated.

Yeah I know why the nets are there. It was more fun when they weren't there tho, more pucks in the stands is good for the game. Or leave the nets in place, but allow pucks to stay in play. For the playoff format why not just use a lottery? Set the odds by were you finish in the standings. Will prevent tanking right?

1 thru 16 seeding for the playoffs. 1 v 16, 2 v 15, etc... Rewards teams for having good seasons, and final 2 are the best two remaining teams.

Moving Fluery would help, but they only have 3 defensemen under contract next season. Not sure what they have in the pipeline, but they'll need to lean on some ELCs for certain. Looking over their roster, at some UFAs, you have to imagine Botterill will try to poach some of "his" guys if they become available... A guy like Matt Cullen, IMO, would be a great add, even at age 40. He can still skate, would be a huge upgrade over Gionta IMO. Then there's guys like Daley, Hainsey, Bonino, Kunitz... I could see atleast 2 of those guys filling important roles in BUF.

Without Bylsma this team takes a step back as they learn a new system. I expect them to struggle the first half of the season, turning it around down the stretch as they get comfortable with their roles in the new system, but finishing just outside of the playoffs. I also expect scoring from guys like Ristolainen, Eichel, Reinhart to drop off because Bylsma's system was suited to them and predicated on them having success. I expect an uptick in RORs production and Okposo's because as veterans, they'll quickly adapt to the new system. And (hopefully) with some defensive help on the 3rd and 4th lines, ROR won't need to be on the ice as much. The PP also takes a step back, but I expect the PK to improve. Lehner's sv% comes back down to average as some new 3rd/4th line role players play better defensively, suppressing shots against, but they'll still give up some scoring chances unless they completely overhaul the blueline (guys like Bogo, Gorges replaced).