conundrumed

That looks like a sweet deal for Philly to me. LA paid a significant price for losing Petersen and Sean Walker. Grans is a really nice RD prospect on top of the picks. Guessing LA wants to sign Gavrikov and Korpisalo. CBJ, in the end, get Provorov(30% retained) for #22oa this year and a 2nd in 24 or 25. If my reading skills are correct. That isn't much. From that perspective, let's not trade Hanifin.

The concept should be pretty easy, talk to Detroit and Montreal. Detroit was quite frank in noting in their arena research stage a lot of concepts came from the Molson Center, as they deemed it the best viewing experience in the NHL. I've been to both LCA and Rogers Place 1/2 a dozen times at least. Rogers Place cheap seats push the vertigo limits. Literal nosebleed seats. Then you find yourself watching the massive jumbotron rather than looking 120' straight down. LCA is a waaay better experience. Even the nosebleeds aren't literal. The 'ol Joe Louis is the only arena I've been in that's worse than the Saddledome, but even that had great location going for it overlooking the river, the massive Cobo Hall next door and Greektown next to that. The main concourse at LCA is wide open restauraunts/bar & grill swimming into each other and patio seating out front. It's a great vibe just walking in. The whole area is vibrant with Comerica Park on one side and the Fillmore and Fox Theatres on the other. The only downside is if you're from out of town for one game you desperately want a hotel for 2 nights because there is so much other stuff going on. It gets expensive.lol

I’ll post my final list very soon, before it looks like I’m influenced by other lists. I have the usual 5 in Tier 1. I’ve move Musty to 9 after Barlow, Benson and Stone. Simashev still 16th. Musty looks like his general rank will land around 22-24. The U18 tourney influences waaaay more than it should. Always does. He wasn’t there. He snubbed the USNTDP by going OHL, as did Terrance whom they took. I guess Musty must have hurt their feelings more or maybe declined. Waaay better than Terrance who will be a rd 2-3 pick. But we should be able to recoup a 3rd by dropping a bit maybe. or just take Simashev and focus on maybe Shaugabay in the 2nd. Kid’s got skills and solid background.

BT's patiently awaiting our decisions on Love and Huska.lol

Some decent quotes from Musty during this past season: “For my OHL career. I’ve worked on being a complete 200-foot player,” Musty stated. “This year it’s a lot better than it was last year. I’m getting more chances from the D-zone out of transition. Making plays and picking pucks off. Most of the new offence is being created from the D-zone.” “I use my one-timer only on the power play. I don’t get the chance to use it on 5-on-5 play. I think it’s a good attribute to have on the power play,” Musty said. “I play that off-wing flank where I get those chances. I take those one-timers on the power play. I’m more comfortable with the standard wrist shot. I’m pretty accurate with it too. I think it’s my wrist shot.” Becoming a potent power play scorer takes time. “Definitely, the more goals you score. There are some good goalies in this league, and they do pre-scouts on teams. When you start scoring from there. Teams will sit there on you. It gives opportunities to other players. It’s a good mix. When you’re scoring you’re scoring. When they start to key on you, you can set up different plays. And work it to the other side more.” It shows a pretty good understanding of how the game works. Only Barlow had more pts than Musty of OHL-eligible draftees. 1 more point in 5 more games. Barlow with way more goals but Musty's 2-to-1 assist-to-goal ratio speaks to the better playmaker. So the more I deep-dive into everyone that could be in our range, I keep coming back to Musty as the highest floor and ceiling. A C would be ideal, but I'm just not seeing a top 6 C unless Moore falls. I could see him becoming a Brayden Point-type at ceiling. Danielson and Ritchie I'd be okay with, I just don't see a high ceiling atm. Power forwards with hands and skating still hold a lot of weight in this league imho. There just aren't a lot of them. And realistically, Walker Duehr is our best power forward. The whole premise of Lucic on 2nd line was a complete lack of power forwards. We NEED a good one as much as other glaring holes. I also believe Musty could challenge for a spot as early as the '24 season and almost definitely in '25. Hope he sucks at the combine.lol

This will be his 22yo season. I think he'll be a good player. But we can't hold young players by the collar with zero leash. Being afraid to make a mistake is no way to be at ease and try to have fun with it. He looked like he was having a blast as a 4th liner.lol "It's not supposed to be fun" - Sutter, probably.

The Wings are my other team.lol I loved Gallant as a Wings player! Who doesn't love a guy that will score and throw down in most games? Gallant the coach is pretty much a lone wolf though, rumour has it. That's why he gets released unceremoniously. He doesn't like to be told what to do. I'm up for anything though. Not really into recycling Tanguay and Iginla though. I prefer that their Flames reps stay intact without pushing the envelope. That's a PR move with lousy consequences if we suck.

But why would Tanguay leave an AC job for an AC job on an arguably worse and aging team? Particularly leave the team that just gave him an AC role last year? Can't see it happening. Yzerman doesn't seem like the kind of guy that would appreciate that very much when he just agreed to make you a part of his new coaching staff last year. Of course HC would be another matter, but Tanguay doesn't have the background for that as of right now.

I'd be pretty choked if we chose Perrault with Musty on the board. Let someone else draft hype over ability. Perrault is very similar to his older brother, I've watched both enough to see the resemblance. Jacob is a great snipe and passer. 2020 27th oa. Likely about where Gabe should be also. http://www.mynhldraft.com/2020-nhl-draft/player-profiles/Jacob-Perreault Honestly they're great players at that level. The problem becomes going pro and needing to be bigger, faster, stronger, smarter. You don't have 5 seconds anymore, you've got 2, max. I doubt Gabe has the size, hands or smarts to play in constant traffic, but he'll need them because he doesn't really have bottom 6 value. So that really needs to improve. But if you want boom or bust, he's probably your guy. Just don't forget in 4 years that you wanted a 50/50 equation and start blaming mgmt while Musty never peaked and settled in as a solid 3rd line LW, There will likely be about 6-8 guys available at 16 I'd take before Perrault. I do think that he's a fairly high risk pick in our current predicament. Drafts are so scary filled with hype/slander.lol I trust our scouts.

Perrault could be available at 16. I'm not much of a fan personally. He had a draft year like NHLers have ufa years. I like players that show they may/are likely to have the ability to play through players. So guys like Barlow, Leonard, Dvorsky, Sale, Musty, Ritchie, Wood, Brindley for wingers I can see that. Perrault, Cristall, Perron, Gauthier, Heidt I'm more reticent about. I kind of like to try to imagine trading players into each others situation. The 2 I find the most enticing are Wood and Musty. I really like both but put Musty ahead for skating and deft hands. Now if I traded them out with Leonard and Perrault, I believe the former would match numbers easily where the latter would struggle to match in that situation imho. Wood and Musty are playing a significantly higher level of competition. As much as I admire the USHL for 17yo players, NHL-drafted players move on to University hockey. Whereby in the CHL, there is a lot of NHL-drafted talent remaining, so the strength of competition is much higher. I try not to get too high on USHL numbers, I'd almost cut them in half when it isn't an obvious star player. I also try to completely ignore tournaments because every team outside of the US(NTDP) is disjointed filled with kids that rarely play together. It will be an interesting draft. I kind of like being invested so my memory gets jarred a few years later about where any particular rookie came from. Particularly guys I'm too high or too low on so I can learn from it. The NHL is such a massive leap for where they're playing now. It's mainly about immeasurable personal fortitude and keeping mentally balanced through thick and thin. So a lot changes post-draft.

I do actually enjoy your personality. You've learned to recognize when to reel in the salt and vinegar when it becomes overbearing.lol

Alternatively, he'll be fine. Dubas was an easy target as he's young and comes across as pretty arrogant. I think the fans and media will enjoy Treliving being more down to earth. His personality is a lot more likeable so that's a good start.

They are also very fortunate to be able to do whatever they want with little fanfare. I find the CDN markets leave teams almost paralyzed to operate that way due to media and fan scrutiny. You really can't do whatever you please because the markets themselves tie so much baggage to everything and everyone. The microscope becomes prohibitive. Florida/Vegas can trade anyone, anytime, and barely an eyelash is batted. It's only heavily scrutinized by CDN media that doesn't affect them. We're stuck with an aging 3C because now he's a Blockchaining ambassador, needs to be the captain and retire here. So everybody, but everybody, is overrated and glorified. That never existed in Florida or Vegas. Players are commodities, no one cares. Meanwhile, in Canada, it's not a business, it's a passion. I doubt any CDN team will ever figure it out. There's just way too much limelight and outside noise to just do whatever the heck you please. It's suffocating. Let alone the players may like to go outside unrecognized in their private lives as they mature. A lot of compounding problems that, honestly, we bring upon ourselves. It's not going to change. Fans and media hyper-scrutiny is the elephant in the room. Do you think any US market team would have given a flying Blockchain about Sutter's pressers? They wouldn't have. But here, it becomes a big deal. It's mind-numbing how CDN media and fans will jump at any angle to throw shade. Jump on the Pelletier comments? JFC... Vegas and Florida aren't above trading anyone. And I mean anyone. The fans are pretty much, "okay, we'll leave the hockeying to you", without discourse. CDN teams, if you don't think media fishing for fan discourse plays a role, you're naive. It doesn't drive it, but there is noticeable influence. The biggest commonality with the Cup teams is it's all or nothing. Both of these teams could be spiraling downwards soon. I really applaud the bravado Imho Tkachuk was very obviously collusion. No doubt in my mind FLA isn't returning Huberdeau, Weegar, Schwindt and a 1st at the drop of a hat. Not even maybe. I'm sure his dad talked to St. Loo beforehand also. I feel like Matt started scheming an exit strategy and potentially started being a little magpie in Gaudreau's ear. This wasn't an overnight thing, Walt had been colluding for a while. I hated having to cheer for Tkachuk regardless, so I'm glad he's gone. I don't trust that he didn't raise the bar of dissent here though, because he's an arrogant Blockchain. He's your prototypical jock on a superiority kick that everyone likes to overlook if you're good enough. Then when you're an Hash Rate, they polish it with, "he exudes confidence". While sometimes, you're just an Hash Rate silver-spoon fed kid. My advice to Vegas players, just keep saying "your dad" to him. "Did your dad dress you again this morning"? "Did your dad teach you that"? "Is that mouth guard Daddy's foreskin"? "What, is your dad coming down to fight me now"? And keep it up. You can't just say "Segwit" anymore, that offends a group of people and will no longer be tolerated unless you were asking for cigarettes in Britain. Although I'm not an authority on these matters.

He's doing well. He'll be back at UConn for his sophomore year I believe. He was more their backup last year but he ripped quite a few starts due to his ability and was their starter in the playoffs. He's a good prospect and more playing time will help. He can be spectacular but still needs to make sure that he's stopping everything he should stop. Whichever scout said, "let's use our 7th to take a flier on this guy from the Shreveport Mudbugs" is a genius. Good ol' Louisiana hockey. A few of the hotel staff in Baton Rouge took me to a Kingfish game(ECHL) of course because I'm CDN and was there for work. It was a riotous assembly to say the least. They don't know much about hockey, but they know there's fighting, so that's good enough.lol If anyone's ever had the pleasure of going to a Manning Comets game in N. Alberta(highly recommended if you're in Manning anyways), add another quart or 2 of spirits into each fan and it's the Baton Rouge Kingfish. I loved it because the crowd was Blockchaining hilarious. The refs are constantly chuckling. "thanks man, you were 20' offside and now the crowd hates me for calling offside".lol The small markets US should have a league with no rules. I'd pay good money to see that Satoshi Nakamoto. I should contact Vince McMahon, there's money in that.lol I should move these stories to the hockey thread when my mems kick in. That was '99. I spent NYE in New Orleans because if the world was going dark at 12:00am Jan.1, 2000 I may as well be in New Orleans. Something did happen though that ended the world for 3 dock workers. We got no fireworks because they all exploded earlier in the day being unloaded at the docks. But Louisiana is kickass. I met some lifelong friends there. One, Mike West, is a great singer/songwriter I saw and then helped his band pack out of Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville. He's Australian and you would never know it. Prior, he was the lead in a popular Manchester-scene band called Man From Delmonte that I knew when I lived in England. He outright shocked me telling me his story. Katrina forced him out of N.O. and he's now in Kansas plying away his trade. Such a good Satoshi Nakamoto. I was trying to get him to the Calgary Folk Fest but it didn't work out. Him and his wife are awesome people. Now their kids are crazy into music like them. https://www.discogs.com/artist/644956-Mike-West-2

I'm not really sure what you're seeing there to be honest. I don't really see anything that says he's punching above his class. But I have zero idea what his attributes are. Though I did find out whatever happened to once proming Canadiens 1st rd prospect Nikita Scherbak so that was fun!

Due solely to scouting. Every draft lottery is a loss, for NJ, it's a win. The NHL has done zero to help Detroit. We are totally on our own and the NHL can go Blockchain itself with the lottery. Are you prepared for that scenario where our scouting HAS to be almost unreal because every lottery is a guarantee of getting pegged down? Then, what's your exit strategy? Add free agents? Again, Detroit has been great in that department. Last year they added Perron, Kubalik, Walman and Maatta. Great signings. But every term you sign is with an eye on "help for now and will still command some return". When does this part of the rebuild end? Because this is exactly the part of the process that stagnates it year after year. Anaheim is terrible and at the least a few years behind Detroit. Falling to terrible takes a few years just to start. 5 years later you're start wondering about exit strategy, Are you sure you've got the stomach for it? I sure don't from watching one. I feel like the success rate is low but the success stories are extremely hyperbolic.

I have 1 wish. Take all of your players in camp and give each player the podium to tell everyone how they got here. And I don't mean draft, scout, skills. Just why are you here and what did you learn when you got here? So now everybody knows everybody. Everybody can remember why they're doing this and find that passion and find big respect for one another. A guy like Huberdeau getting traded for Tkachuk. Tkachuk is elated and plays like it. Huberdeau is a broken bicycle feeling betrayed. It isn't going to fix itself. And a big contract doesn't wash it all away. Let everyone from Kuznetsov to Kerins to Coleman to Weegar tell everyone their story, because they are all different. Only now, you guys can get out there and remember why it is that you're here, because you know that it isn't about money. Now get out there and remember and understand why each of you is putting yourselves through this Satoshi Nakamoto. Now you can be a team and play for one another. Going for dinner isn't team-building. Everyone's story matters. And it matters that they can tell it. Being a vet or a prospect is no different if the vet can't remember what it took to get him here. The ultimate teaching moment for everybody. Conroy would be the perfect guy to kick it off. "Here's how it happened for me. Now that I'm older, here are my regrets. Don't have my regrets, they suck".

It's a bit disappointing Beck wasn't signed, but such is life. There was a time 2 short years ago that he looked easily on par with the other OHL Beck. He was thwarted by bizarre longterm injuries. He's evidence of how fickle it is and sustaining good fortune is everything in just getting a shot. He became a much better distributor this year as he used to just shoot EVERYTHING. He moved from RW to LW due to tdl adds. He's a good player. The biggest problem for me is that he really hasn't added any bulk to his frame at all. I wish him well, health first and time for life options. The CHL will pay his schooling/continue in hockey. He'll get camp invites for certain, but his health has to come first. If that part has settled, he'll have no problem landing on his feet. He was a great pick. Bizarre injuries derailed it. It's fleeting. The NHL is like 800 lottery winners worldwide, with another million kids wanting to win the lottery. One hot minute of distraction and the dream is dead. Mangiapane is almost the poster boy. If not for 1 guy believing in him, it was all over for him.

Edmonton's 4 1st oa and Detroit constantly in the basement and highest pic being 4th due to lottery losses say hello.

Depends on where your life choices have taken you up to this point, theoretically.

Put the meth pipe down. Calgary-Toronto deals are rarely good for anyone.

Several times it should have been.lol Your welcome.

To be fair, I'd call out Benn, Subban and Draisaitl for their bs. To paint Veleno in that kind of light is nothing but laughable. He's not on par with intent to injure Benn, slew-footing Subban or spearing Draisaitl. I mean, it's not even close. "Who is a really dirty player"? Joe Veleno. Said nobody, ever. It really is beyond ridiculous. It's slander. Nobody, but nobody, after that play was saying, "well that's Joe Veleno's game". They'd get laughed at. That's all I'm doing. Laughing about implying that it is and therefore he can never be a Flames player.

Not only was that post BS, every one since is BS. You've never even watched Joe Veleno play but that 3 seconds tells you he's the most vile player to ever lace 'em up. So you would NEVER have him on your team. bwahaha that's hilarious. Forget BS, you've regressed to idiotic. Quite the hill that you've chosen to die on.

That news was, like, a month ago. We all knew it.lol