OT: Around the NHL - CONGRATS ST. LOUIS BLUES!

[End of Line]

So Draisaitl-McDavid-Neal?

 

[mpp9]

Neal is one lucky sob when it comes to centers. Dude gets Modano, Ribiero and prime Brad Richards. Then Malkin. Johansen.

Then has to fend for himself for a couple of years. Has to be traded for arguably the worst contract in the league. And now gets the best freaking center in the game.

 

[Ignatius]

Neal is one lucky sob when it comes to centers. Dude gets Modano, Ribiero and prime Brad Richards. Then Malkin. Johansen.

Then has to fend for himself for a couple of years. Has to be traded for arguably the worst contract in the league. And now gets the best freaking center in the game.

It's kinda sad that he can't seem to get his act together to compel any team to WANT to keep him around to keep him for more than one season. I surmise a serious lack of mental maturity considering his age. I think he knows that there will always be at least one team out there willing to give hime a chance but at this point it would be hard to convince me that he is not his own worst enemy.

 

[BHD]

The way Elliotte Friedman references players getting "last chances" with teams, he makes it sound like players are aware of their job security. I wouldn't be surprised to see rumours about a trade request (from Neal) surface at some point during the season.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Tbh don’t hate it for the flames.

I think Lucic will be better (and cheaper) for Calgary than Neal would have been going forward. Not the worst play driver and prob better suited to the bottom 6 than Neal.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

I would be fine with even 75 and shortening the preseason. Use those fewer games to remove b2bs.

Of course the fans and players would
The owners would hate it because many count on gate revenue to break even

 

[BHD]

Lucic is the exact opposite of a play driver. He can still bring something to a team, but it’s not that.

 

[vikingGoalie]

So what do peeps think about Trouba getting 8M per ? I personally thought he was a pretty good D, but I hesitate to say he is a true #1 D man in this league. This will certainly be the first time for him to be thrust in that role as THE guy on defense. Though he was 2nd in ATOI for the jets and I admit I don't watch the Jets all that often. Just kinda puts into perspective that Kris Letang has a 7.25M cap hit in comparison while putting up more time on the ice and more points for years now.

Personally 8M *might* be market value but it seems pretty high to me.

 

[ZeroPucksGiven]

So what do peeps think about Trouba getting 8M per ? I personally thought he was a pretty good D, but I hesitate to say he is a true #1 D man in this league. This will certainly be the first time for him to be thrust in that role as THE guy on defense. Though he was 2nd in ATOI for the jets and I admit I don't watch the Jets all that often. Just kinda puts into perspective that Kris Letang has a 7.25M cap hit in comparison while putting up more time on the ice and more points for years now.

Personally 8M *might* be market value but it seems pretty high to me.

I thought Trouba would sign for about 7M and I was disappointed the Pens couldn't be in on that
But man, 8M? Yikes that's too much right now but in like 3 years he'll be seen as paid as an average defender

 

[Shady Machine]

So what do peeps think about Trouba getting 8M per ? I personally thought he was a pretty good D, but I hesitate to say he is a true #1 D man in this league. This will certainly be the first time for him to be thrust in that role as THE guy on defense. Though he was 2nd in ATOI for the jets and I admit I don't watch the Jets all that often. Just kinda puts into perspective that Kris Letang has a 7.25M cap hit in comparison while putting up more time on the ice and more points for years now.

Personally 8M *might* be market value but it seems pretty high to me.

It's high but predictable. That's likely the going rate now for top pairing Dmen on long term deals. He's not an elite number 1, but with the right compliment, I think can form a good, not great, top pairing.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Lucic is the exact opposite of a play driver. He can still bring something to a team, but it’s not that.

Had best rel CF on his team and...




He still sucks but does way more than Neal outside of the point totals. Should get better linemates with Bennett/Jankowski/Ryan etc. too.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Also speaking of charts saw this in the Athletic... Svech is gonna be scary to deal with for the next decade. Already blows away the eye test too.

After accounting for context, Svechnikov had the largest impact on 5-on-5 scoring chances in 2018-19 (which is pretty shocking in a league with offensive weapons like Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews). The fact that he did it at age 18 is even more frightening.

 

[BHD]

... Florida has missed the playoffs in 16 of the last 18 seasons, hasn't won a playoff series since 1996 and will have had 16 coaches in 26 seasons when Quenneville makes his debut...

Jeez.

 

[BHD]

McDavid is wasting his career there...

 

[heysmilinstrange]

I still don't understand why they don't play Draisaitl at 2C.

 

[Gurglesons]

I still don't understand why they don't play Draisaitl at 2C.

Would ‘t really make a difference..

 

[Gurglesons]

So what do peeps think about Trouba getting 8M per ? I personally thought he was a pretty good D, but I hesitate to say he is a true #1 D man in this league. This will certainly be the first time for him to be thrust in that role as THE guy on defense. Though he was 2nd in ATOI for the jets and I admit I don't watch the Jets all that often. Just kinda puts into perspective that Kris Letang has a 7.25M cap hit in comparison while putting up more time on the ice and more points for years now.

Personally 8M *might* be market value but it seems pretty high to me.

He was the guy on the Jets defense and was great the past two years.

The Rangers will have Skeji, D’Angelo and Shattenkirk. They have a decent enough D core where Trouba and more importantly Fox won’t get vicitimized.

 

[Turin]

Oilers make the 2011 Pens winger depth look good.

Kunitz, Dupuis, Kennedy, Cooke, Talbot Asham, Rupp, Adams, Conner shouldn’t be better than your wingers. Especially when your defense has Klefbom, Nurse and Larsson not Letang, Martin and Goligoski.

 

[BHD]

I still don't understand why they don't play Draisaitl at 2C.

Him and McDavid are too dangerous together (think Sid and Guentzel). Draisaitl would be fine on his own line. However, McDavid maximizes his goal scoring ability.

 

[Gurglesons]

Oilers make the 2011 Pens winger depth look good.

Kunitz, Dupuis, Kennedy, Cooke, Talbot Asham, Rupp, Adams, Conner shouldn’t be better than your wingers. Especially when your defense has Klefbom, Nurse and Larsson not Letang, Martin and Goligoski.

The worst part is they literally could have Eberle and Hall right now. Instead of Larsson.

 

[Turin]

Him and McDavid are too dangerous together (think Sid and Guentzel). Draisaitl would be fine on his own line. However, McDavid maximizes his goal scoring ability.

McDavid would be sufficiently dangerous with others. The problem is that their winger depth is so bad that Drai probably can’t carry a line with two third/fourth liners.

 

[Tasty Biscuits]

Him and McDavid are too dangerous together (think Sid and Guentzel)

Except Drai is way better than Guentzel. It'd be like if the Pens continually stacked Geno with Sid for their entire careers. They'd have sick numbers, but the team would suffer as a whole. They'd be better off splitting them. Elite centers at their ages should be able to elevate average talent.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

Except Drai is way better than Guentzel. It'd be like if the Pens continually stacked Geno with Sid for their entire careers. They'd have sick numbers, but the team would suffer as a whole. They'd be better off splitting them. Elite centers at their ages should be able to elevate average talent.

Yup.

Keep inflating McDavid's numbers but struggle as a team. Its their main focus

Drai should be centering the 2nd line. Crosby had avg wingers yet still put up great numbers. McDavid needs Drai/RNH(two natural centers) on his line.

 

[JimmyTwoTimes]

McDavid would be sufficiently dangerous with others. The problem is that their winger depth is so bad that Drai probably can’t carry a line with two third/fourth liners.

Pens depth was no better in the early years. They were built the same. Strong down the middle. Diff is Crosby made guys like Dupuis better. McDavid needs a center on his line to produce...taking the center depth advantage away.

 

[BHD]

Except Drai is way better than Guentzel. It'd be like if the Pens continually stacked Geno with Sid for their entire careers. They'd have sick numbers, but the team would suffer as a whole. They'd be better off splitting them. Elite centers at their ages should be able to elevate average talent.

I should have clarified. My point was that McDavid/Drai makes too much sense to break up.