Around the NHL 16-17 part 2

[jBuds]

Tampa Bay is not playing well. They are surprisingly only 6 points ahead of us, and we have 2 games in hand... it's easy to point to the Stamkos injury, but there are bigger problems. I think we are going to see a Bishop trade soon.

I watch them and can't figure out what the problem is. It's not Stamkos' absence IMO


Kucherov is elite. The core they already have in TB is so young and talented... is it that they don't have any significance behind Hedman?

Click to read more...

 

[Jame]

I watch them and can't figure out what the problem is. It's not Stamkos' absence IMO


Kucherov is elite. The core they already have in TB is so young and talented... is it that they don't have any significance behind Hedman?

I think it's many things... guys like Drouin, Johnson, Namestnikov... are liabilities. They just aren't close to complete players, and the veteran 2 way talent that offset those liabilities (Callahan, Filpulla, Boyle) has not aged well.

On the back end. Anton Stralman is an underrated stud... and they don't have anyone to compensate for that loss (seriously, Sustr is playing top pair minutes).

I think moving Brayden Point to center is a good move. Namestnikov looked awful at centering the top line.

I'd really like to pry Nesterov away from them... been saying that for a few years.

 

[jBuds]

I think it's many things... guys like Drouin, Johnson, Namestnikov... are liabilities. They just aren't close to complete players, and the veteran 2 way talent that offset those liabilities (Callahan, Filpulla, Boyle) has not aged well.

On the back end. Anton Stralman is an underrated stud... and they don't have anyone to compensate for that loss (seriously, Sustr is playing top pair minutes).

I think moving Brayden Point to center is a good move. Namestnikov looked awful at centering the top line.

I'd really like to pry Nesterov away from them... been saying that for a few years.

I'd think Nesterov would be on the bottom of their list of guys to jettison out...and agreed on Stralman.


You'd put Johnson in the same category defensively (or without the puck) as Drouin? I was giving him way more credence in the other two zones than I probably should have, but I still have him miles ahead of Drouin in the "allows me to exhale" category on the defensive.


Any insight as to how Bishop has handled being passed by Vasi? Wondering if it has reared its ugly head behind the scenes

 

[Jame]

I'd think Nesterov would be on the bottom of their list of guys to jettison out...and agreed on Stralman.


You'd put Johnson in the same category defensively (or without the puck) as Drouin? I was giving him way more credence in the other two zones than I probably should have, but I still have him miles ahead of Drouin in the "allows me to exhale" category on the defensive.


Any insight as to how Bishop has handled being passed by Vasi? Wondering if it has reared its ugly head behind the scenes

Nesterov was a regular scratch for so long... we should've pounced then.

No, I wouldnt put him in the same exact category, Drouin's deficiencies are far worse...

With Bishop, there's an inevitability factor... and it's clearly affected his play.

 

[jBuds]

Nesterov was a regular scratch for so long... we should've pounced then.

No, I wouldnt put him in the same exact category, Drouin's deficiencies are far worse...

With Bishop, there's an inevitability factor... and it's clearly affected his play.

I'm game for taking advantage of what could be a vulnerable situation in Brooklyn. They have an underrated blueline across the board, and the talk back home is that they may be inching towards another tear down.

 

[ThunderD]

I'm game for taking advantage of what could be a vulnerable situation in Brooklyn. They have an underrated blueline across the board, and the talk back home is that they may be inching towards another tear down.

All the talk is about Minny and Anaheim, but these guys are dead last and have more reasons to pull the trigger. It's also the franchise of Snow and Milbury so let's deal with them (although I did like some of Snow's moves).

 

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[tsujimoto74]

I think it's many things... guys like Drouin, Johnson, Namestnikov... are liabilities. They just aren't close to complete players, and the veteran 2 way talent that offset those liabilities (Callahan, Filpulla, Boyle) has not aged well.

On the back end. Anton Stralman is an underrated stud... and they don't have anyone to compensate for that loss (seriously, Sustr is playing top pair minutes).

I think moving Brayden Point to center is a good move. Namestnikov looked awful at centering the top line.

I'd really like to pry Nesterov away from them... been saying that for a few years.

Is Stralman hurt? Because that would certainly explain a lot. Agree he's underrated. Quiet player, but very effective. He's kind of Tampa's Hjalmarsson. Except Tampa only has 1 D ahead of him, as opposed to Chicago's 2.

 

[Gabrielor]

Gmtm? Haven't we been loosely tied to this? Perhaps loosely means that gmtm made a call after the someone else leaked to Toronto media.

 

[CowbellConray]

Tampa doesnt look too different then last year. Bishop won them games that they were not supposed to all last season. They are a team that does well in the playoffs but seems to shut off at times in the regular season. And this year Bishop is rightfully having issues with the Vasi situation.

Their defense is still average. They have Coburn and Garrison who dont generate offense and Sustr has been given a ton of minutes he cant handle. They miss Stralman. If they didnt have Kuch they would be in an extremely deep whole.

Also, I still badly want Killorn (I offered Pysyk for him to general agreement 3 years ago) and he will probably go in the expansion draft.

 

[TehDoak]

Gmtm? Haven't we been loosely tied to this? Perhaps loosely means that gmtm made a call after the someone else leaked to Toronto media.

Lowball insulting offer that infuriates Brian Burke? Sounds like Darcy is doing contract work.

 

[JThorne]

Gmtm? Haven't we been loosely tied to this? Perhaps loosely means that gmtm made a call after the someone else leaked to Toronto media.

Murray isn't the sort to leak things. Especially if there's no advantage he can have from it.

 

[haseoke39]

Murray isn't the sort to leak things. Especially if there's no advantage he can have from it.

Was thinking exactly the opposite. Is there a GM out there more loose-lipped?

 

[struckbyaparkedcar]

Nesterov was a regular scratch for so long... we should've pounced then.

No, I wouldnt put him in the same exact category, Drouin's deficiencies are far worse...

With Bishop, there's an inevitability factor... and it's clearly affected his play.

So you'd credit his success in a defensive role in years past to Kucherov & Palat?

 

[Ace]

"They claim they try to get better every day....they didn't get better today"

- Paul Hamilton the day we chose Nilsson over bringing back Enroth. Enroth is playing his way out of the league this season and just let in the first two shots tonight.

 

[Zip15]

I wonder if tonight is Enroth's swan song with the Leafs. Gave up two goals in the first minute of the game and three in the 1st period.

 

[sabresfan129103]

The Chad's numbers in Calgary: 8-4-0-1 2.06 and .930. He had a 39 save shutout last night.

Elliot's numbers are abysmal: 3-9-0-1 3.31 .885.

The games are split evenly between the 2 goalies, but my guess is going forward they're gonna give Johnson more starts (how can they not). I knew he was gonna steal Elliot's job.

 

[1972]

“We told this team – and by the way the offer they made was insulting – we told them no we’re not moving him and next time you have an idea that stupid, just save the quarter – don’t go to the payphone. That team started telling teams ‘Yeah, we made an offer on Hamilton.’ Now it’s a rumour, it’s got legs. Someone’s like ‘Wow, they must be moving him.’

Now read that in a Donald Trump voice.

 

[Jim Bob]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/flyers-want-fans-stop-using-rick-flair-woo/

Can you imagine the tirade Bucky and the TBN crew would go on if a Sabres player said that about the fans?

 

[OkimLom]

Was thinking exactly the opposite. Is there a GM out there more loose-lipped?

Murray doesn't seem like a guy who will just come out and say things. However, if you ask him, he will give you a straight answer. Until someone asks him about this, I'm going to assume he wasn't the GM. Shoot, if there's a GM who WOULDN'T lowball an offer, it's Murray. It's one criticism of his from his critics.

 

[Jame]

So you'd credit his success in a defensive role in years past to Kucherov & Palat?

I credit it to that lines offensive ability.

 

[1972]

While watching Calgary last night I had some thoughts on the 2014 draft and not really sure where to put it.

I'll admit Sam Bennett made me look at how I look prospects a little differently. Back in 2014, I loved him as a prospect, he was relentless and talented. But what has become apparent in the NHL is that he does not have anything elite about him, he is a good skater, has good hockey sense, a good passer, a good shooter etc..he's lacking an elite dynamic to his game, but he will be a fine second line player in this league for many years. Looking back I think everyone kinda knew he didn't really have an elite aspect to his game, but kinda choose to overlook it because of the intangibles.

 

[ThunderD]

While watching Calgary last night I had some thoughts on the 2014 draft and not really sure where to put it.

I'll admit Sam Bennett made me look at how I look prospects a little differently. Back in 2014, I loved him as a prospect, he was relentless and talented. But what has become apparent in the NHL is that he does not have anything elite about him, he is a good skater, has good hockey sense, a good passer, a good shooter etc..he's lacking an elite dynamic to his game, but he will be a fine second line player in this league for many years. Looking back I think everyone kinda knew he didn't really have an elite aspect to his game, but kinda choose to overlook it because of the intangibles.

The thing about Bennett as a prospect was that many said he had this great 2-way game. I watched him play in person on a few occasions (granted not enough to fully evaluate him and I'm just one guy). What stood out was that all his takeaways were in the offensive zone when he didn't have to go far and he picked the pocket of some junior player. I didn't see him hustling back 200 feet or playing 3rd man high to break up an odd man rush - things that would translate well to the next level. I could see how he got the reputation as a great 2-way guy but I could also see how it was misleading.

I'm not saying offensive pressure isn't important I am though saying that there are multiple aspects to a defensive forward and some are key that for the games I was at I just didn't see it but saw how he got the reputation.

 

[Gabrielor]

If we could go back to 2014, I'd still take Reinhart.

 

[jBuds]

I was by far Chad Johnson's biggest critic last year, but good for him for surveying the market, picking a spot to go, and winning the ****ing job when he got there.

The Flames are a completely different team with him in net vs. Moose. It's wild.