Around the NHL: 2018-2019 Off-Season Thread, Stupid Money Season Meets the Doldrums

[26CornerBlitz]

 

[tsujimoto74]

I was really hoping 5 years ago that we'd be one of the juggernauts of this division.

Tampa - Toronto is going to be a heavyweight match.

Tampa is elite at every position though. I mean, the Pens won cups with some ugly D cores, but I still can't take Toronto seriously with that D.

 

[gallagt01]

Highly recommending Sean Avery's autobiography to anyone who may be interested. This was a terrific read.

I've got it on par with Patrick O'Sullivan's autobiography and Gare Joyce's Future Greats and Heartbreaks as one of my favorite hockey books.

Anyone got any others to share? Looking to pick something up.

 

[Gabrielor]

Tampa is elite at every position though. I mean, the Pens won cups with some ugly D cores, but I still can't take Toronto seriously with that D.

Oh I definitely give Tampa the edge if Karlsson is on board.

 

[ZZamboni]

Counsel in the Crease. Just one guys opinion, but one of the best sports books I’ve ever read.

 

[Moskau]

No matter how bad our franchise can seem we're going to have 3 1st round picks higher than Ottawa next season.

 

[Chainshot]

Counsel in the Crease. Just one guys opinion, but one of the best sports books I’ve ever read.

The editor used to be a regular here - a moderator too.

 

[TehDoak]

Damn I just looked at Ottawas roster. Once Karlsson is gone they are gonna be 2014-2015 Sabres bad without their own first round pick. The Avs are getting a free lotto ticket

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Depending on the return, which I assume is mostly futures and money, Tampa's gonna score 5 goals a game next year.

There’s only so many pucks.

 

[Genny Screamer]

Is St Louis in "purgatory" territory? They are good enough to make the playoffs, but are not real contenders. They get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs every year or in some cases just miss. They draft in the late teens to mid 20's. They draft some decent prospects. Early in their development they look promising, but then that prospect just becomes a "guy" or fades into oblivion. In some years you trade next years first in order to get that one player that might put you over the top. The Sabres have been in this spot for most of their existence. Despite the last 7-8 years the Sabres are the 8th winningest team of all-time. St Louis is the 12th.

 

[Icicle]

Is St Louis in "purgatory" territory? They are good enough to make the playoffs, but are not real contenders. They get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs every year or in some cases just miss. They draft in the late teens to mid 20's. They draft some decent prospects. Early in their development they look promising, but then that prospect just becomes a "guy" or fades into oblivion. In some years you trade next years first in order to get that one player that might put you over the top. The Sabres have been in this spot for most of their existence. Despite the last 7-8 years the Sabres are the 8th winningest team of all-time. St Louis is the 12th.

They've traded most of their 1sts and 2nds to tread water in the first round exits. They only got one tiny batch of prospects. This has left them with no depth beyond the NHL team, which is why their injuries last year decimated them so badly.

 

[Jame]

Is St Louis in "purgatory" territory? They are good enough to make the playoffs, but are not real contenders. They get bounced in the 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs every year or in some cases just miss. They draft in the late teens to mid 20's. They draft some decent prospects. Early in their development they look promising, but then that prospect just becomes a "guy" or fades into oblivion. In some years you trade next years first in order to get that one player that might put you over the top. The Sabres have been in this spot for most of their existence. Despite the last 7-8 years the Sabres are the 8th winningest team of all-time. St Louis is the 12th.

I actually think St Louis has done an impressive job of turning over an aging but consistent 50 win playoff team.... and getting better.

 

[Jame]

They've traded most of their 1sts and 2nds to tread water in the first round exits. They only got one tiny batch of prospects. This has left them with no depth beyond the NHL team, which is why their injuries last year decimated them so badly.

So you're saying Tage Thompson wasn't good enough to help them last year?

They are two seasons removed from the western conference finals, and have significantly upgraded the roster that made it there

 

[Tsyolin]

God if Tampa gets Karlsson... imagine having the two best defensemen in the game right now as your top pairing.

 

[Duddy]

God if Tampa gets Karlsson... imagine having the two best defensemen in the game right now as your top pairing.

Thank god we don't have to worry about beating them or Toronto.
We'll just wait till all of their players get too old to play, than the time of the Buffalo Sabres playoff push will come.

 

[26CornerBlitz]

God if Tampa gets Karlsson... imagine having the two best defensemen in the game right now as your top pairing.

Drew Doughty says "hello"

 

[kirby11]

God if Tampa gets Karlsson... imagine having the two best defensemen in the game right now as your top pairing.

So their top four would most likely be Hedman-Karlsson and Sergachev-McDonagh...that's absurd

 

[Vito_81]

Drew Doughty says "hello"

Says hello from the 3rd best podium

 

[Baccus]

 

[jc17]

Leafs get Ennis for cheap

 

[Gabrielor]

All theirs.

 

[AustonsNostrils]

Dubas trolling the Sabres - first they signed Giorgio Estephan for the Marlies, now Ennis.

Did Budik get invited to a team's development camp? Hagel was at Montreal's and they say was one of the better forwards.

 

[Sabre the Win]

Dubas trolling the Sabres - first they signed Giorgio Estephan for the Marlies, now Ennis.

Did Budik get invited to a team's development camp? Hagel was at Montreal's and they say was one of the better forwards.

But look at Montreal's pipeline. It's not hard for anyone to go in there looking better than the rest.

 

[Jim Carr's Rug]

But look at Montreal's pipeline. It's not hard for anyone to go in there looking better than the rest.

Hagel looked good at our camps as well. I had higher hopes for his development path.

 

[CrazyPsycho]

Ennis to the Leafs