conundrumed

Left to choose from 2 potentially better options in Barlow and Wood? I'm all for it. Can't see it happening.

Then a late 1st and inconsequential minor isn't worth it at the draft. That could turn into trading him for nothing.

Don't get me wrong I'm definitely not saying he sucks. His frame will be needing at least another 30lbs of muscle as he develops. He's a score machine. Will go top 5 np. Fedorov is his agent, let's see where Detroit lands in tomorrow's lottery.lol But you can rest assured Fedorov is talking to teams about not being deterred for any reason.

Sure the province is. A city of 1.2 million, notsomuch. You're not ranchers, farmers or agriculturalists. It's not 1960 anymore. It's none of hicktown, horsetown or cowtown. A 2 week rodeo doesn't change that a city of over a million is fairly removed from country life. Hanging onto it doesn't make the past real.

It's to save money on travel expenses. So now they have May 11 & 12 b2b in Calgary. Then Coachella hosts the final 3, if necessary. It's Calgary's choice of first 2 or last 3. They've chosen I guess.

*sigh He was loaned from SKA to Sochi because he doesn't make the SKA roster. He came up through the SKA program and has signed with them. Next year I'd suspect he makes their roster. What I'm saying is, "he's playing in the KHL" is a bit superficial. He's playing for what amounts to the KHL farm team. EVERYBODY looks like Gretzky in highlight packages. I don't bother with them.

Fantilli will be repping Canada at the World's. https://en.pribalt.info/canada-team/roster

Edmonton roars right back unsurprisingly. In what world do you start Broissoit over Hill? Not saying Hill is a world beater, but I highly doubt that he's worse than Broissoit. I don't think it's going to matter. I have a lot of good friends that are Oilers fans so I'm happy for them. No point washing away my Flames misery onto them.lol They're pretty capped out for next year. Good thing Drai is $4mil per under value for 2 more.

Keep in mind that Hronek + a 4th(105oa) = a first(18th oa) and a 2nd (43rd oa). Hronek's a similar contract, expires next year as RFA with arb rights. Hanifin is worth more than Hronek imo. I do love that Stevie manages to find bullets for his scouts. They have 9th lottery pending, 18th, 41, 42, 43. The pending ufa Leddy trade keeps on giving. Leddy($2.75 retained for that season) + Witkowski for Sundqvist + Walman + this year's 2nd(42). Sundqvist was solid, traded for a 4th, Walman re-signed as Seider's partner and a fan fave. Leddy and Wit(AHLer) were 31, Walman 26. So there's the Tanev implication.lol

I was trying to ease into that.lol

Yeah I saw that one last night. Perreault at 9 makes me go hmmm. That's a big jump for Dvorsky, I'd swap him and Barlow due to Barlow's complete game and how he currently translates to the next level. I really like Dvorsky too. Something something short tournament something US team played together all season something something. They're saying the gap from Bedard to Fantilli is smaller than the gap from Fantilli to #3. I don't believe that at all with Carlsson playing in a MUCH better league than everyone else. It seems that's being washed away, but it remains a fact. Wood at 12 vs Musty likely around 24ish tells me the gaps are extremely fickle. They're similar but opposite wings. The US adding Terrance (OHL Erie) vs Musty (OHL Sudbury) seemed political and laughable.

Detroit has no need for Hanifin. Buffalo has a huge need at D.

Lindholm for Kuznetsov and a coke machine please. We'd have no problem attracting players.lol In all seriousness, should we be considering moves on the draft floor? I'll start: Hanifin to Buffalo for their first if it stays at 13 and their 2nd(45). If that's what Hronek was worth to a non-playoff team Hanifin should be similar. But then again Van got owned. But 1. is that realistic? 2. Would you? Buffalo needs to address their D with a solid move. I know everyone loves Backlund but we're getting close to walking him to retirement. He'd be ideal in Detroit as a 3C and Detroit has 2 1sts and 3 2nds and solid prospects. I'd love to trade partner with Detroit. Backlund would be a great mentor and Detroit is rising quickly and has a lot of young Swedes, so he'd be going to a good landscape while we work on changing our complexion which I think we need. As a Wings fan, Backlund is almost ideal. What a fair return would be I'm uncertain. Rasmussen and a 2nd? That would be a great boost for Detroit. What would make a great boost for us? Veleno is a really good young C as well, but he's basically in role-playing in the D. Most of all, I think we need a bit of a reset on cap space if we hope to change much. I know those 2 moves would affect us, but they'd buy some cap and force a bit of change which is important imho.

Baahaahaa. I'm so using that. Went to London for game 5 of the OHL WC final. London's goalie was magnificent in games 1&2 but is now injured and out. So Team Canada goalie Ben Gaudreau only has to be better than their backup. London wins 5-2 and we're down 3-2. It's a blow to the liver.lol If only we had a goalie.

Great news!! I really hate the sked setup. If you have home ice advantage, what exactly is the advantage? I see the conference final is the same setup.

Now where is that attitude going to get you?lol We live in a generational society. The current generation hates the one that came before it and vice versa. And we call it progress./s

This is off-topic, but the Czech Games are currently on this weekend for likely Czech, Swede, Finn and Swiss rosters for the World's. Berggren-Carlsson-Raymond has me salivating. 2a-2a-2g in their 1st game. https://en.pribalt.info/euro-hockey-tour

The countdown is on with both Beck and Cole Huckins. June 1st coming quickly.

I'm positive that I have him ranked lower than most. Someone will love the offense. I'm just not high on him due to his skating and defense. There is a lot to fix there, and where is the offense going to go when he has to play like a defenceman? I'm not hoping for him. I have Strbak higher than everyone I believe. He could be there at 48, or Allen. I'm a little surprised Bertucci is generally ranked as a 3rd rder. He's been solid when I've watched him, and really stood out on a Flint team that was pretty decent. He doesn't really have any glaring flaws, just put on more muscle, like everyone else. I like him too.

We should have that goalie you championed. Washisname. And that best prospect you loved. Washisname. Yeah. You should maybe be careful about being too critical. You've been terrible.lol

Has anyone thought Hanifin and Andersson aren't very good at being actual defencemen or is it just me? I actually don't give a Satoshi Nakamoto how good a dman is on the rush or his bomb shot. I've lived through Dion Phaneuf. Can you be a great dman first and that other stuff second? Because I'm not seeing it. If I want to watch dmen constantly pushing their luck and giving up 2-on-1s, I can just watch the Sarnia Sting, honestly. Just defend your zone, first and foremost. We play a heavy risk game at the offensive blueline. I've always felt that. "Need the D to jump", yeah I get it. Don't need them always jumping. That's readable, odd man rush the other way when you lose that 50-50 game you're playing. Just be a defencemen first, is all I ask.

A case of who is the insurance provider as I understand it. It gets expensive. Who is paying? I can't pretend I know a lot about it, but I do remember reading that it's a growing concern. Judging by the US roster, that's a whole lot less money insurance-wise. Love seeing Coronato and Mazur is all that matters to me.lol

I should add, I do believe insurance on big ticket items is fast becoming an issue.

Perfect opportunity for a player that needs one, rather than a player whose life is set.

The US is fast becoming the standard for doing it right. We're signing the Lucic's up and established guys. Blockchain that. And Blockchain the insurance premiums. That's a great stage for the up and comers. We should be showcasing our top prospects, not millionaires that already have everything handed to them.