pi2000

Gionta, Pysyk, Franson, and Larsson are FA's for the 17-18 season. The rule stats that at least 20 of the 30 must be under contract for 17-18. My money would be on Moulson (unless he scores 30+ this season). Another guy that comes to mind is Evander Kane. He lives in Vegas, maybe they swing a deal for him where BUF is allowed to dictate who they take in the expansion draft.

Dominik Hasek did NOT have sexual relations with Ted Nolan's wife.

You could also argue that he didn't offer enough because he didn't rate Larkin as high as he should have.

not surprising

I think you do get a top 6 at 8. Looking at the last 10 years of forwards drafted at #8... Burmistrov Couturier Couture (#9) Boedker Glennie (bust) Pouliot Nylander

long stick with a flat blade, he was ambidextrous so he would switch hands on a breakaway.

additionally... "Players with two years of professional experience or less will be exempt from the process. Determining who that covers is based on the definition included in the collective bargaining agreement – meaning that 10 games played in the NHL at age 18 or 19 counts as a season, as does any American Hockey League or NHL season for players older than that." So assuming the expansion draft would be next year, guys like Eichel, Reinhart, Fasching and Bailey would be exempt no matter where they play this coming season. Not sure about guy like Ullmark, he only has 1 professional season in north america under his belt.

Foligno has plateaued. What we saw the last 30-40 games is the best he will ever be. I don't see a spot for him on this roster when they're contenders. Fasching is a better NHL prospect than Bailey. Bailey is still very raw, can he get there? Time will tell.

I, too, like McCabe's upside. He has an offensive side that he hasn't shown yet. I think once he gets more comfortable defending, we'll seem him open it up offensively. He's a keeper, top-4 pairing.

still ain't over this reminds me of the 94' Final, NYR dominated the first 4 games took a 3-1 series lead back to MSG, lost games 5 and 6, winning game 7 on home ice.

yes!

alrighty then

Not a chance.

12 of the 26 players on their 2009 Cup roster were acquired in either 2008 (8) or 2009 (4). Series ain't over yet.

That's funny. Half their team are high pick "core" players. How's that been working out for them?

Thanks for sharing... good read. I think the chances are greater that Murray uses those extra picks (maybe even #8) as part of a larger package to acquire a roster player instead of moving up in this draft.

Increasing goal scoring on it's own won't make the game more entertaining. For example, today is primarily a game of get the puck low then back out high to the D and hope a long shot from the point either finds it's way in or creates a scoring chance. That said, while shrinking goalie equipment even further will help increase number of goals, it won't change the way the game is played. If anything, it will only encourage more shots from the point through traffic as the primary source of goal scoring.... BOOOOORRRRRING!

If the league shrunk down to 21-24 teams, guys like Kevin Porter, Brian Flynn, Matt D'Agostini, Deslaurier, etc... would never have sniffed an NHL lineup.... but fortunately, thanks to the watered down depth, we got to watch them for an entire season in 13-14... yay NHL!

You can't compare depth of talent on pre and post cap era teams. Pre-cap (2004 prior), the talent was concentrated on a few teams, eg the 93-94 NYR had 8 20+ goal scorers. Their 91-92 team had 5 30+ goal scorers. You'l never see that again. The salary cap era spread out the talent, then you add in expansion and it gets watered down even more. There's no denying that if the league contracted, the depth of talent of EVERY team would increase due to salary cap constraints (ceiling AND floor). Without a cap, that talent would concentrate itself in larger markets. Either way, the games would be more fun to watch IMO.

Jody Gage in the AHL. http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=1804 He scored 60g one season for Roch, but couldn't crack the Sabres lineup. Anybody who sniffs 30-40g in the AHL automatically moves up these days.

why?

I'd actually like to see some contraction, but that will never happen under Bettman. The talent level is too watered down and some markets with very weak fan bases, now they want to water it down even more. The quality of the product on the ice is not where it was 20-30 years ago, and the league is suffering because of it IMO.

You can't have depth without star players, however, you can have star players without depth, however, you can't have depth without star players.

TM likes big athletic north americans. It's gonna be Cychrun or Brown, or a move up to #4 for Tkachuk, but that will take #8, a quality roster player and high end prospect.

not a chance Pysyk and 8 might get you to 7. Pysyk, 8, and a top prospect (Bailey/Fasching) and another pick (3rd round) might... might get you to 4.