Around the NHL 2020-21

[drwpreds]

Watching this Bruins-Islanders game is making me very sad. Both teams play great, hard-nosed hockey and have a well defined structure. Is that too much to ask for our team?

For the first half of the year, yes, it was too much to ask. But the 2nd half and playoffs I would say we got pretty close to it, did we not??

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

For the first half of the year, yes, it was too much to ask. But the 2nd half and playoffs I would say we got pretty close to it, did we not??

I'm crazy but would have liked our chances against any team left from the North or East. I think we could (inexplicably) beat Tampa or Vegas, but a much tougher ask. Colorado would clobber us.

 

[predhead1]

For the first half of the year, yes, it was too much to ask. But the 2nd half and playoffs I would say we got pretty close to it, did we not??

Call me reservedly optimistic. Still need some attitude changes in the room. I don't know if that's going to come from the coaches, or the players, or the front office. But when I see a whole team of people skating, defending and trying like those teams were, I see a big gap between where we are now and where we need to be.

 

[Armourboy]

Let's be real honest here, it's a heck of a lot better than some of the stuff you are going to see. At least it's a decent Dman, a center that did play well for yall and a pick.

 

[PredsV82]

Let's be real honest here, it's a heck of a lot better than some of the stuff you are going to see. At least it's a decent Dman, a center that did play well for yall and a pick.

I'm guessing hes not a UFA until next summer? Otherwise why trade?

 

[Kat Predator]

I'm guessing hes not a UFA until next summer? Otherwise why trade?

Jones does have 1 more year.

 

[PredsV82]

Jones does have 1 more year.

So trading Jones this summer is a bit of the same conundrum that we are looking at trading Ellis, ie, youd have to have a trading partner who has a spot to protect him if you're trading prior to the ED. But the market for Jones will obviously be much higher than for Ellis.

Gonna be an interesting summer to say the least

 

[Byrddog]

I am hoping for Montreal to take this series. I will have to wear a Leafs Avatar for a year if they win this series. Ughhhh

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Summer 2022 is so far stacking up to be a bonanza for UFA defensemen...

RD: Seth Jones, Colton Parayko, Ryan Pulock, John Klingberg, Josh Manson, Rasmus Ristolainen
LD: Darnell Nurse, Morgan Reilly, Hampus Lindholm, Mattias Ekholm

... so this summer would be a better market to try to move Ellis in, and even if we don't have a replacement for him right away, just some temporary patchwork until next summer might not be a bad idea.

I do hope Poile will be working on his Forsberg and Ekholm extensions this summer though.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

Let's be real honest here, it's a heck of a lot better than some of the stuff you are going to see. At least it's a decent Dman, a center that did play well for yall and a pick.

And look on the bright side, Viqsi... they are locked up long-term so there is no danger of them running out on you...

 

[Viqsi]

And look on the bright side, Viqsi... they are locked up long-term so there is no danger of them running out on you...

tell that to PLD

 

[gene vestal]

I'm going to have a gut punch again watching the Avs & knights later, remembering Coach Barry saying the Preds were still going to pick Seth Jones even if they'd had the Number One pick in 2013. That would have meant Nathan MacKinnon would have been passed over by a defenseman ...NATHAN freaking MacKINNON.

 

[Legionnaire11]

I'm going to have a gut punch again watching the Avs & knights later, remembering Coach Barry saying the Preds were still going to pick Seth Jones even if they'd had the Number One pick in 2013. That would have meant Nathan MacKinnon would have been passed over by a defenseman ...NATHAN freaking MacKINNON.

Jones was the consensus #1 pick that year though, so it wouldn't have been seen as stupid to take him first that year, or second, or third. It was kind of a shock that he fell to us, most mock drafts had us taking Barkov there.

Could have been worse, we could have gotten Drouin.

 

[nine_inch_fang]

Jones was the consensus #1 pick that year though, so it wouldn't have been seen as stupid to take him first that year, or second, or third. It was kind of a shock that he fell to us, most mock drafts had us taking Barkov there.

Could have been worse, we could have gotten Drouin.

I really do marvel at how people remember all of this stuff.

 

[Armourboy]

I really do marvel at how people remember all of this stuff.

Not that hard, was the last time we had a draft pick that high. He's right though no one had Jones on the board really by that point. It's actually amusing how disappointed many of us were with it.

 

[Armourboy]

tell that to PLD

Big difference in a guy with basically his whole career in front of him and two guys who got traded because they just weren't worth keeping.

Also makes me wonder how much it was driven by things he knew as a guy in the locker room that we will never know. Maybe he knew Jones wanted to test the market as well as a couple of other guys and just wanted out. Now not saying he went about it the right way but I could see it as a reason to want out.

It could also be the reason yall never got a clear cut answer as to why. It involved other guys decisions and he didn't want to let that cat out of the bag. That said I'm probably giving him more credit than is due and realize I have zero proof that could be the case.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

I remember posting in some other thread how close we were to having a MacKinnon/Barkov pick. Florida would have the #1 seed either way. But we had 41pts, Tampa 40, and Colorado 39. And Legwand scored with just over a minute left to give us a win in April against Colorado, otherwise we could have had a Barkov (or had we won the lottery in Colorado's spot like they did, MacKinnon). Then the whole Jones/Johansen saga doesn't happen and we have our franchise #1 center and multiple Stanley Cups.

Funny how I don't remember thinking about it like that at the time.

 

[PredsV82]

I remember posting in some other thread how close we were to having a MacKinnon/Barkov pick. Florida would have the #1 seed either way. But we had 41pts, Tampa 40, and Colorado 39. And Legwand scored with just over a minute left to give us a win in April against Colorado, otherwise we could have had a Barkov (or had we won the lottery in Colorado's spot like they did, MacKinnon). Then the whole Jones/Johansen saga doesn't happen and we have our franchise #1 center and multiple Stanley Cups.

Funny how I don't remember thinking about it like that at the time.

Or the alternate universe where Trotz turns MacKinnon into a "solid two way centerman"

 

[Soundgarden]

I really do marvel at how people remember all of this stuff.

Come on 2013 was only 2...5...almost ten years ago? Where does the time go?

 

[Osprey]

So trading Jones this summer is a bit of the same conundrum that we are looking at trading Ellis, ie, youd have to have a trading partner who has a spot to protect him if you're trading prior to the ED. But the market for Jones will obviously be much higher than for Ellis.

A trade will probably come after free agency starts, which is after the expansion draft. That's the earliest that Jones can sign an extension, so CLB will be able to get a more lucrative package from a team that's reached a long-term deal with him as part of the trade.

 

[predhead1]

Or the alternate universe where Trotz turns MacKinnon into a "solid two way centerman"

Bravo, I laughed out loud

 

[jumb0]

Not sure how that Graves hit on Janmark was 2 minutes for interference

 

[predhead1]

Sakic is going to be in the HHOF twice. Who would have thought a Stanley Cup champ and all-time great would have known what it takes to be a contender

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

Sakic is going to be in the HHOF twice. Who would have thought a Stanley Cup champ and all-time great would have known what it takes to be a contender

You mean tank for a few years on top of the previous tank then end up with two grand slams on trades you should have lost? Not sure that's how he envisioned it. Course none of it matters if MacKinnon ends up developing like Yakupov or Nugent-Hopkins instead of how he did.

 

[PredsV82]

Sakic is going to be in the HHOF twice. Who would have thought a Stanley Cup champ and all-time great would have known what it takes to be a contender

Yeah, I mean it worked so well for Gretzky...