League News: 2014-15 Around the League Thread

[um]

Boychuk would be the best D on our team or at worst right behind Carlson.

you can't possibly believe that? he would be our 6th best Defensemen after Orpik. didn't you watch him at all last year? he was terrible.

good for the isles making the moves they made, but they acquired two top 4-6 defensemen here, and as the other guy pointed they still have a weak top pairing and a week overall defense, lets not get too exited. (although Leddy could prove to be a solid top 4 on the isles)

 

[swimmer77]

I'll speculate Boychuk will be a better player than last year since he's in the last year of his contract.

Excited for the Islanders actually to see what happens with their newcomers.

Just can't wait for the season to start. Period.

 

[Ridley Simon]

Boychuk would be the best D on our team or at worst right behind Carlson.

Lol. No he wouldn't. Holy Hyperbole.

Not sure he even makes top 4. He's on par with maybe Orpik....but I'd say Green, Niskanen, and Carlzner are all better. Plug any of them into that Bruins D and you'd think they were better than any Caps D-man.

Don't hate just for the sakes of it, it's juvenile.

 

[Coldplay619]

Lol. No he wouldn't. Holy Hyperbole.

Not sure he even makes top 4. He's on par with maybe Orpik....but I'd say Green, Niskanen, and Carlzner are all better. Plug any of them into that Bruins D and you'd think they were better than any Caps D-man.

Don't hate just for the sakes of it, it's juvenile.

I'd take Boychuk over Niskanen and Orpik.

 

[Acallabeth]

Boychuk vs Orpik is a toss-up. JB is younger and on a better contract, but I don't think he's much above Orpik in any facet as a hockey player.
To compare him to Niskanen just doesn't make sense IMO.

Any way, the Islanders defense, though improved, is all depth with a below average top pairing IMO.

 

[Devil Dancer]

Any way, the Islanders defense, though improved, is all depth with a below average top pairing IMO.

That's a good description of the Caps' D.

 

[Acallabeth]

Exactly what I was thinking of, DD. Though I hope Carlzner can be better than below average.

 

[Hivemind]

Boychuk is definitely better than Orpik at this point. Maybe he doesn't match prime Orpik, but he's certainly better than aging Orpik. Leddy is essentially Niskanen before last season's breakout, a sheltered powerplay specialist with potential for more. And he's four years younger.

 

[Burakovsky95*]

Boychuk is a product of a system that makes Dennis Seidenberg look like a bonafide #1 and Adam McQuaid look like an actual NHL caliber player.

Leddy is another story and he should break out after being freed from Chicago's bottom pairing.

 

[Halpysback*]

Boychuk vs Orpik is a toss-up. JB is younger and on a better contract, but I don't think he's much above Orpik in any facet as a hockey player.
To compare him to Niskanen just doesn't make sense IMO.

Any way, the Islanders defense, though improved, is all depth with a below average top pairing IMO.

Yeah, except his positioning, hitting, offensive game and a world class point shot. Other than that just Orpik 2.0

 

[Halpysback*]

Boychuk is a product of a system that makes Dennis Seidenberg look like a bonafide #1 and Adam McQuaid look like an actual NHL caliber player.

Yeah it's amazing how the Bruins take crappy players, wave a magic wand and turn them into number ones. It's all in "da systeM", brah

 

[Ajax1995]

I think the point is the Isles, a team the Caps will be competing with to try to get back into the playoffs, definitely got better with these two moves.

If you feel so strongly about the Caps or Isles that you don't think this matters then fine but I know I personally don't feel that way about either.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Boychuk is a product of a system that makes Dennis Seidenberg look like a bonafide #1 and Adam McQuaid look like an actual NHL caliber player.

Leddy is another story and he should break out after being freed from Chicago's bottom pairing.

Agree with everything about Boychuk. The guy was buried in the minors and finally found success with the B's. That is a very defensive minded system and everyone knows it. We will find out who the real Boychuk is when he's away from Chara, Seidenberg, etc.

 

[txpd]

Orpik has a presence. He has a reputation that has been earned. Boychuk doesn't carry any of that.

A lot of what Orpik brings is based on that he is Orpik and not some Johnny Boychuk

 

[Hivemind]

Orpik has a presence. He has a reputation that has been earned. Boychuk doesn't carry any of that.

A lot of what Orpik brings is based on that he is Orpik and not some Johnny Boychuk

I think Boychuk has a pretty darn similar reputation to Orpik. He's a veteran, physical, big hitting defenseman with a cup ring.

 

[Acallabeth]

Yeah, except his positioning, hitting, offensive game and a world class point shot. Other than that just Orpik 2.0

Orpik's positioning and hitting suffered a bit when his skating got worse, but it was still solid, and this preseason he seems to be skating better.
Boychuk's "offensive game" must be just trolling.

Orpik has a presence. He has a reputation that has been earned. Boychuk doesn't carry any of that.

Boychuk doesn't have a reputation and a presence?

 

[Capathetic]

Isles improved sure but only to the point where they may be relevant after New Year's Day.

That org has lacked quality top end players and it's got to be their scouting staff or coaches. With all those high draft picks where are the players forcing themselves onto the roster much like we see here with Burakovsky/Wilson/Kuzya ect. They have Tavares (no brainer at #1) and Okposo and even KO is streaky and needs to bring it consistantly.

I'll buy into what the Isles are selling when the quit turning every young up and comer into Josh Bailey. It all still seems like desperation from Snow to not hand over a lottery pick.

Brock Nelson and Ryan Strome project as top six players for them. Nelson will be decent but nothing more than a Laich/Brouwer type. Strome hasn't even hit Johansson like numbers yet...so before complaining about the Caps top six consider the playoff lock islanders top six first.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Boychuk, Leddy, Grabovski = $11.2 million in cap space (+ Kulemin that's $15.3 million for the truthers out there!)
Orpik + Niskanen = $11.3 million in cap space

 

[Hivemind]

Boychuk, Leddy, Grabovski = $11.2 million in cap space (+ Kulemin that's $15.3 million for the truthers out there!)
Orpik + Niskanen = $11.3 million in cap space

This is essentially what I was thinking for a while, but it's also unfair to eliminate the fact that the Islanders gave up two 2nds, a conditional 3rd, Ville Pocka (2012 2nd rounder), and some organizational depth to do it.

 

[BobRouse]

Brian Pothier looked strong on a stacked team playing sheltered minutes too.

Lets see how Leddy and JB play on an inferior team (I mean Chicago and Boston > NYI) not being behind Norris trophy winners and team depth.

I'm not sure either guy is a great top 4 choice and I'd take Niskanen and Orpik over them easily.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

Brian Pothier looked strong on a stacked team playing sheltered minutes too.

Lets see how Leddy and JB play on an inferior team (I mean Chicago and Boston > NYI) not being behind Norris trophy winners and team depth.

I'm not sure either guy is a great top 4 choice and I'd take Niskanen and Orpik over them easily.

Lol because this applies to Niskanen more than anyone else cited.

Averages 24 points per 82 games over 6 years then puts up 46 in a 250 goal offense.

 

[Ajax1995]

Boychuk, Leddy, Grabovski = $11.2 million in cap space (+ Kulemin that's $15.3 million for the truthers out there!)
Orpik + Niskanen = $11.3 million in cap space

Sure but IMO Boychuk is very likely only there for this season and possibly not even all of it. And if on the off chance he does decide he wants to play in Brooklyn going forward his cap hit isn't likely to stay where it currently is. And Leddy is an RFA after this season so who knows what happens there also. Obviously his status makes him more likely to stick around but his cap number is an unknown at this point.

IMO there is value in knowing what Orpik, Niskanen, Grabovski, and Kulimen will be making long term.

 

[Hivemind]

The "silver lining" in the Orpik contract is that other UFA defenseman is going to want to make what Orpik makes. Caps management likely ruined it for at least two of Ottawa (Methot), NYI (Boychuk), and St. Louis (Jackman) next off-season. Lord only knows what Marc Staal is going to ask for.

 

[BobRouse]

Lol because this applies to Niskanen more than anyone else cited.

Averages 24 points per 82 games over 6 years then puts up 46 in a 250 goal offense.

ummm...Niskanen played in a top 4 role and 21 minutes a game last year.

The year before we signed Pothier he was on the 3rd pairing and got 16 minutes a game.

Niskanen now is a superior player in every way than Pothier was then.

 

[BrooklynCapsFan]

ummm...Niskanen played in a top 4 role and 21 minutes a game last year.

The year before we signed Pothier he was on the 3rd pairing and got 16 minutes a game.

Niskanen now is a superior player in every way than Pothier was then.

You weren't talking about who is the superior player. You were talking about players who appear better than they are playing on a strong team with sheltered minutes.

I sincerely doubt we see Niskanen produce points in line with his last season and it remains to be seen how he is going to handle the switch from 17 ES minutes/game (4th on Pittsburgh's D) to 20+ ES minutes/game against what will likely be tougher matchups.