Around the League VII

[vanarchy]

Jake DeBrusk - Rustler of Jimmies

 

[StreetHawk]

Monahan is a weak #1 for a contender but you can get away with that with strong wingers like Gaudreau and Tkachuk. I think their main issue is that Giordano is the engine of the team and there's no way he's got more than a year or two left at the most. Once he's gone there's no one like him to replace him.

Of course I thought the same about Boston and now McAvoy is there so who knows.

Monahan isn't much different than Bo in that regard. He's not a true #1C, as Bo isn't. Ideally best slotted to be a #2. if he has to be your #1C, your #2 guy has to be almost as good.
If Monahan and Horvat are your top 2 C, you can do well with. Like STL with ROR and Schenn. If you only have one of them, you're not looking so good. But, like you said, Calgary has a couple of elite wingers, plus Lindholm really upped his game. If he can continue to play at his Calgary level vs. his Carolina level, the Flames are fine at C.

With regards to Gio, when he declines due to his age, the Flames have competent young D to handle the defensive part of his game. It's the offensive part that their guys likely can't match. Like the Canucks when the Hoff left. Couldn't replace his offensive and thus their PP suffered.

 

[StreetHawk]

I’m OK with either the Lightning or Blue Jackets winning the series. That said, Columbus has done a nice job supporting that team that has had canuck-like success. They deserve some playoff series victories at this point. Plus a lightning loss could put some interesting players, coaches and management on the market...

CBS - they went all in, so kind of want it to pay off a bit. At least win a round.

TB - be interesting should they fall to CBS. They are projected to be at $73 million against the cap for next season already, without Point under contract and needing to replace their right side of their D of Stralman, Girardi, Coburn. Only maybe $10 million to do that.
Callahan has a 16 team NTC, so he's very likely moved. All of Palat, Johnson, Killorn have full NTC and I can't see them agreeing to waive. They'll be there until their NTC becomes a MNTC. That would leave Miller who doesn't have a NTC right now, as well as Gourde. I think TB will ship guys out in that order as they need.
Callahan wouldn't waive to come to Vancouver. Both Miller/Gourde would be interesting.

 

[krutovsdonut]

can't see why we would want callahan? gourde or miller i can see.

 

[Soups On]

can't see why we would want callahan? gourde or miller i can see.

If Tampa pays Vancouver to take on Callahan, you have to look at that. Only has 1 year left.

 

[StreetHawk]

can't see why we would want callahan? gourde or miller i can see.

We wouldn't. Just the order in which TB would likely prefer to move out their guys IMO. Callahan wouldn't waive here even if the Canucks wanted him.

Cap friendly has them at $73 million next year. That is with only 10F signed and needing to sign around 3D. So, it's got to be more than Callahan getting moved. Fully expect one or both of Miller/Gourde if Point gets a big deal. Gourde, his full NTC kicks in on July 1, so the deadline to get make moves for them is by June 30.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Pittsburgh looks absolutely gassed against the Isles. Slow to pucks, not generating much in quality chances, and their passing is way, way off. Hard to feel optimistic about their chances - great news for the Isles, not for the Pens.

Re: the Toronto game last night - Leafs fans and the hockey world at large are discovering what we’ve known for some time, and that’s that Nazem Kadri is a dirty, garbage hockey player. Still see red over his cheap headshot on Daniel Sedin a couple of seasons back. But add “selfish” to that list as well. What a colossally stupid play.

And boy oh boy did William Nylander get crucified on CBC. They showed a “highlight” reel of his lazy, uninspired and flat out terrible play. Hrudey said “I wouldn’t even want him on my team”. Yikes.

 

[Fire Benning]

Kadri about to ruin his team’s chances with another lengthy playoff suspension, dumbass.

 

[Motte and Bailey]

Glad people are finally seeing what some of us seen about Nylander. Lazy soft player. Wouldn’t want him on my team neither.

 

[krutovsdonut]

laine and nylander both look to be learning first hand that you can't always turn it up when you want to if you have not done the preparation. i would not rule out either of them figuring it out.

 

[Svencouver]

If the Canucks had Bobrovsky that season, they'd have beaten the Red Wings no question.

i know people are mixed on Cloutier's career here at best but you would really take a 13 year old bob over him?

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

i know people are mixed on Cloutier's career here at best but you would really take a 13 year old bob over him?

For games 3-6....I'd think about it. Cloutier was a freaking disaster in the post-season 2002 and 2003.

 

[GetFocht]

Austin Matthews is a terrible playoff performer

 

[vanuck]

Not really. IMO this happens every playoffs. That's how Boston beat us and then almost beat Chicago the next year in the final until Quenneville made some adjustments , including comments he made in the pregame locker room talk which CBC showed. That's why I don't think a lot of these good regular season coaches can adapt and react in the playoffs.

On the flip side, Julien couldn't adapt when Chicago broke their trap. His system worked completely against us so that's how he won that cup.
That's the difference between Sullivan and Therrien/Johnston for Pittsburgh, they looked completely stymied against tight checking teams until bringing Sullivan in. I think Bylsma fluked it out a little so I'm not including him here, also he had similar issues later in his playoff career.

It took until last season for Trotz to adapt.

That's why guys like AV come so close but can't make it. A steady hand can help the team endure through a long regular season but with the constant matchups and tighter checking in the playoffs it really shows whether the coach can trade tactics with the other coach.

I do think there's something to certain coaches being good in the regular season, though you'd think Cooper would have been used to facing the trap by now - I mean, if not this entire season against teams scared ****less of their offensive capabilities, he should be quite familiar with facing trap teams throughout his career.

 

[Fire Benning]

so people realize how crazily successful teams like the 2011 Canucks really were and stop making it sound like “they didn’t have what it takes”. Remember, the identical team (almost certainly) got sick and almost blew the series to Chicago, yet it was still clearly good enough to win the Cup with even the tiniest bit better luck.

Did they want it enough though?

 

[Josepho]

methinks the pens are done winning cups for a while

 

[Fire Benning]

Penguins are toast.

 

[TARS]

Who leaves a playoff game with almost 6 minutes left when your team is only down by 2?

 

[EpochLink]

Pittsburgh is done, that defense is bad and their depth is not so great

 

[Fire Benning]

If you play Erik Gudbranson in a playoff series, you deserve to be swept.

 

[TARS]

If you play Erik Gudbranson in a playoff series, you deserve to be swept.

For the life of me I don't know why I didn't consider this more seriously when making my playoff bracket.

 

[M2Beezy]

If you play Erik Gudbranson in a playoff series, you deserve to be swept.

And apparently this Jack Johnson guy is even worse lol

I didnt see him as worse than Gudbranson but a lotta people seem to think so

 

[Hemty]

Who leaves a playoff game with almost 6 minutes left when your team is only down by 2?

Been watching the Pens a lot in the past 3 years, basically almost every game (since they're my 2nd team), but those fans have been spoiled as hell. 13 straight playoff appearances and you can't even chant your team, when it's evident they lack energy, cause the Islanders are just smothering them with their defensive style? Pathetic. It's been happening a lot at their home games, even when they've been winning.

And apparently this Jack Johnson guy is even worse lol

I didnt see him as worse than Gudbranson but a lotta people seem to think so

Basically, he was the Gudbranson of the Penguins, before Gudbranson arrived and the Pens switched up their D-pairs.

 

[Boose Brudreau]

Is there a more impressive comeback story in pro sports than Robyn Lehner? Bipolar with severe substance abuse issues, who admitted to being extremely close to taking his own life 12 months ago.

 

[VanillaCoke]

I have NYI in my bracket so I'm all smiles