Post-Game Talk: Grade Our Free Agent Day

[howztheglass]

Grade:

Almost fell out of my chair laughing.

So many moves that blew up in our faces, man what could/should have been,

But it funny as hell--thanks man.

 

[Leonardo87]

Grade:

Best part is. We are still paying him. Lol

 

[Boris Zubov]

They played fast for sure. Really well structured which is something I worry about with the new coaching staff.

The only real burner on their team is Eichel.

Karlsson, Carrier, Theodore & especially Stephenson can fly.

Chandler Stephenson might be the best overall skater is the league next to McJesus. His stride & edge work are completely flawless.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Karlsson, Carrier, Theodore & especially Stephenson can fly. Chandler Stephenson might be the best overall skater is the league next to McJesus. His stride & edge work are completely flawless.

I wouldn't go that far but yeah he's a great skater too.

The other guys are good but no better than some of the guys we have (in fact, they're worse than some of our guys.)

Point being, they aren't really a "speed" team. Faster than the Rangers 1-12? Sure, but their legs weren't really what got them through the playoffs.

Honestly, player for player I don't think they're really anymore talented than the Rangers are. The difference is really -

1. They're SO much better structurally.
2. Their top players (sans Pietrangelo who was kind of ass) played like top players. If they got what you'd expect out of Panarin in 2022 they at least get to the finals and they easily get out of the 1st round if both Panarin and Zibanejad showed up at all.

1 kind of bleeds into 2 and becomes magnified when Panarin starts being a complete dumbass.

 

[Barnaby]

Wheeler was a good move. Gustafsson was probably a good move, but haven't seen enough to qualify the move as "good" instead of "decent."

Quick over Halak, hard to say. Halak was the better goalie but $$. Quick was better with Vegas but small sample size.

Most of the other moves were complete crap and I'm concerned that the "depth" options will yet again end up mixing into the top 6 and taking time away from our prospects. I will continue to think this until this organization shows a general mindset of not putting top prospects in stupid motivational "competitions" with career plugs for training camp and washed up former third liners, then taking those competitions so seriously as to play the plugs over the kids.

Imagine if the 2005-06 Penguins had pretended like Sidney Crosby vs. Lasse Pirjeta was a real competiton..

Young guys not being able to win those competitions over plugs or washed up 3rd liners is a bigger problem.