Confirmed with Link: FLA acquires forward Sam Reinhart from Buffalo, for 1st rounder (2022) & prospect Devon Levi

[Clint]

We'll recoup that 1st rounder when Zito trades Huberdeau...

 

[Dread Clawz]

We'll recoup that 1st rounder when Zito trades Huberdeau...
I don't think Zito really cares the Cats are among the top5, top10 or top15 in the league when the Cats' mgmt needs to focus on the possibility that they face the Bolts again in the first round and then they get eliminated again. So, essentially they have to engage in the arms race, trying to match up with the roster of a back-to-back SC winner.

Zito cares, keeping an eye on the future is important, Tampa isn't gonna be good forever. They lost their entire 3rd line from last season, and they will lose Johnson and Savard. Next offseason, Point is due for a big raise, and they will lose somebody else. Eventially Tampa will go through a phase of being mediocre. Zito has said on multiple occasions that they don't want to damage the future.

 

[Dread Clawz]

Exactly and I think Mackie’s game looks to translate really well into the NHL as well. Very high on that young man right now. He has excellent tools.

Yup, and Nause too. Panthers fans are gonna love how he helps the transition game. I'm not saying it's gonna happen, but it wouldn't surprise me if he's not that far away. He's a big kid and his game is pretty mature.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Zito cares, keeping an eye on the future is important, Tampa isn't gonna be good forever. They lost their entire 3rd line from last season, and they will lose Johnson and Savard. Next offseason, Point is due for a big raise, and they will lose somebody else. Eventially Tampa will go through a phase of being mediocre. Zito has said on multiple occasions that they don't want to damage the future.

They'll lose some guys but they just keep adding more guys because it all depends on that their key guys are still in their prime. Just look at how many times ppl have predicted that "this year the Pens/Bruins being their process of deterioration"... and it just doesn't happen in a year or two. The Bolts will be a contender quality team for the next five years at least even tho some might think that their time is over because Goodrow and Savard are gone, and that five years will feel like an eternity.

 

[Prominence Problem]

I wonder what number Rhino will wear?
He previously wore #23.

 

[KW]

They'll lose some guys but they just keep adding more guys because it all depends on that their key guys are still in their prime. Just look at how many times ppl have predicted that "this year the Pens/Bruins being their process of deterioration"... and it just doesn't happen in a year or two. The Bolts will be a contender quality team for the next five years at least even tho some might think that their time is over because Goodrow and Savard are gone, and that five years will feel like an eternity.

Obviously teams will be gunning for them even more now, and sooner or later they'll learn the best ways to beat Vasy, which is where their achilles heel actually is (if he can't paly every game). Play Vasy tough, play in front all the time, eventually you find the cracks.

 

[FinlandPanther]

Obviously teams will be gunning for them even more now, and sooner or later they'll learn the best ways to beat Vasy, which is where their achilles heel actually is (if he can't paly every game). Play Vasy tough, play in front all the time, eventually you find the cracks.

I think that’s where a player like Sam helps, both of them actually. Same plays in your face and plows his way to the net while reinhart has some nasty hands in close with those tips. Guy is like Pavelski with his hands in close.

 

[Dread Clawz]

They'll lose some guys but they just keep adding more guys because it all depends on that their key guys are still in their prime. Just look at how many times ppl have predicted that "this year the Pens/Bruins being their process of deterioration"... and it just doesn't happen in a year or two. The Bolts will be a contender quality team for the next five years at least even tho some might think that their time is over because Goodrow and Savard are gone, and that five years will feel like an eternity.

The more draft picks and prospects they trade, the harder it's gonna be to keep replacing guys. At some point they're not gonna be able to keep plugging young guys in the lineup without it hurting them. You could argue the Bruins have already started declining....they really didnt play all that great last season, the Hall trade saved them and gave them an extra spark. You could see what losing Chara meant to them, their D fell apart in the playoffs. Pittsburgh's time is nigh with their 3 aging centers.

I like that you tried to minimize the loss of Tampa's 3rd line but the fact is that they Coleman-Gourde-Goodrow gave them a lot of energy in BOTH playoff runs and scored a lot of big goals for them. Not easily replaced at all. Tampa will still be a contender for the next 5 years or so, but they won't be the superteam they were the last 2 seasons.

 

[Dread Clawz]

I wonder what number Rhino will wear?
He previously wore #23.

Hags might give his number up to him, as he's the veteran.

 

[RCGP2]

Hags might give his number up to him, as he's the veteran.

Verhaeghe is a few months older

 

[BabyBennettov]

That Reinhart addition is one of the best move we’ve made in a long time !

Bill Zito is sending a message…

« You may get Bob on a bad night… But you’ll still have to out-will us and out-score us ! Good luck ! »

As for the number thing, pretty sure he will go with #22 or #24… Pretty big change of scenery for him here, and think he wore those during some international tournaments !

 

[Prominence Problem]

Obviously teams will be gunning for them even more now, and sooner or later they'll learn the best ways to beat Vasy, which is where their achilles heel actually is (if he can't paly every game). Play Vasy tough, play in front all the time, eventually you find the cracks.

*cough* high-glove

 

[Prominence Problem]

A Buffalo fan mentioned earlier that if Rhino plays centre, he would be best with two Speedy Wingers flanking him.

I thought about this, then did some research. Duke was Rhino's Winger at world junior for Team Canada in 2015

 

[VijayPatel11]

I wonder what number Rhino will wear?
He previously wore #23.

I hope he takes a really cool high number, like 96 or something

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

The more draft picks and prospects they trade, the harder it's gonna be to keep replacing guys... I like that you tried to minimize the loss of Tampa's 3rd line but the fact is that they Coleman-Gourde-Goodrow

So build for the future and also do not build for the future but move picks for immediate help. Guys like Goodrow are valuable, obviously if they can fetch you a 1st round pick, but you can't act like that they are part of the core that keeps their team going to the finals and win. Goodrows and Fat Maroons come and go and the core stays.
Ofc, the Pens and Broons are going to fall apart now because they've been in the playoff hunt for the past 10-15 years i.e. the entire careers of Crosby and Bergeron.
Even tho Knight, Lundell, Deni, etc. are good prospects but the Cats' track record still shows that they have exactly five roster players (Barkov, Hubs, Ek, Weegs and Tipp) as a results of how they draft and develop. So, on paper, the Cats' draft picks aren't valuable but they only become valuable once they are traded for something else.

 

[austropanther]

I hope he takes a really cool high number, like 96 or something

Or 10...?

 

[KW]

Or 10...?

Jean Luc thinks 11 will be available soon…

 

[Prominence Problem]

I hope he takes a really cool high number, like 96 or something

Everything I see from him playing juniors in Kamloops, to World Juniors, to his previous NHL team. He is always worn #23.

 

[Prominence Problem]

Doing some more number deep-diving, Verhaeghe wore number 21 with the Niagara Ice Dogs when he was in junior.

 

[BB88]

I assume this has already been posted, but you gotta love the quotes by Reinhart. He seems super amped up to join us.

Reinhart traded to Panthers by Sabres

Why wouldn’t he?

He’s absolutely done with being on a rebuilding team and just wants longterm commitment.

Big issue he seemed to have in Buffalo was shortterm contracts he kept getting given

 

[Dread Clawz]

So build for the future and also do not build for the future but move picks for immediate help. Guys like Goodrow are valuable, obviously if they can fetch you a 1st round pick, but you can't act like that they are part of the core that keeps their team going to the finals and win. Goodrows and Fat Maroons come and go and the core stays.
Ofc, the Pens and Broons are going to fall apart now because they've been in the playoff hunt for the past 10-15 years i.e. the entire careers of Crosby and Bergeron.
Even tho Knight, Lundell, Deni, etc. are good prospects but the Cats' track record still shows that they have exactly five roster players (Barkov, Hubs, Ek, Weegs and Tipp) as a results of how they draft and develop. So, on paper, the Cats' draft picks aren't valuable but they only become valuable once they are traded for something else.

Zito has set us up so that we have a chance to knock off Tampa now in the next couple years, but also kept his eye on the future so that our window will remain open for several years beyond that. It's the best thing he could have done. I'm not acting like their 3rd line was part of their core, and never said that, but they were a key part of both their playoff runs. Signing a couple scrubs for 750k and promoting a kid isn't gonna replace what they brought. Our drafting has gotten better the last few years, and we have to have faith that Campbell and Geoffrion have started to turn our development system around. If Zito doesn't have faith in the organization's ability to draft and develop, then he 's just condemning this core early, because there's only so far you can push the trade futures for now game, until your team becomes capped out and too old and slow.

 

[radkison]

We'll recoup that 1st rounder when Zito trades Huberdeau...

No

 

[Two4Fighting]

He is a tipper, Tampa Bay scored the majority of their goals jus by tipping. he is also very accurate, loves to score top shelf, he is going to score 50 playing with Barkov. It seems that he scores a lot because he does not stop the motion of the puck, no time for the goalie to adjust.

 

[ursavolta]

He is a tipper, Tampa Bay scored the majority of their goals jus by tipping. he is also very accurate, loves to score top shelf, he is going to score 50 playing with Barkov. It seems that he scores a lot because he does not stop the motion of the puck, no time for the goalie to adjust.

Love that accurate shot.. it doesn't seem to have alot of power but damn it's pretty accurate. Can't wait to see what he does with Barky and Huber/Verhaeghe.

 

[austropanther]

If you guys had had the choice between Reinhardt and Ristolainen, who would you have chosen?

I really like the Reinhardt pick, but we still need a top-4 Dman. Risto would probably be too expensive anyway in the long-run but he still has 1 year left on his contract at a reasonable price.
Curious what Reinhardt will end up at but I guess it will be not far off of what Risto is making currently (5.4 million)