travel_dude

There was a point before TDL that we believed to be a playoff team hopeful. 7-3 record in February. A first for your starter on the table? At least that. But at the time, NJ's pick was no better than the Flames. And having Markstrom would have meant a playoff team pick. The value of retained salary over 2.5 years can't be understated. It's not your typical TDL trade, it's that and a futures trade.

I would be okay with one of those D that seem to have crazy offensive numbers so far. Bulium, Parekh, Yakemchuk. There doesn't "seem" to be any C's in the top 10 other than the top 2. If we don't win the lotto, then go D then C (VAN pick). Maybe Hage over Boisvert? I only say that based on the rankings in that article. I don't know. We really need a high end C. Hage is only a late 18.

100% We don't really need a $6M mentor here, just a solid guy to provide quality starts. Wolf has proven that he is more than a guy you play in a scheduled loss or against weak teams. He's showing more understanding of how to play the puck and isn't losing the net when facing shooters. What I have seen too much this year is a reliance on the goalie to save our bacon. With Wolf in nets, the team in front understands that they may have to work a bit harder, because that's what you are supposed to do. Get rid of the layers of screens and let him see the shot. We may not be 100% satisfied with the return on a Markstrom trade, but we shouldn't just hang up the phone. NJ may have competition to land him, if they still want to. Allen is a good 1b goalie, but I don't think he can repeat his STL numbers. Besides, NJ may not be the only suitor.

I too like what I have seen in Zary; he's slippery. I was not advocating for the trade, just pointing out some of the challenges with both players. Gaudreau had his growing pains as does Huberdeau. Johnny was really bad for the buttonhook plays that sometimes resulted in odd man rushes the other way. Huberdeau does some of that, but I see Mangiapane doing that more now than Huberdeau. 9 times out of 10, when Mange stops short it results in a nothing burger.

I know it's a non starter, but interesting. On one hand, Gaudreau was always fun to watch. He was a one man zone entry machine. Regular season thrilla. Got the fans out of their seats. On the other hand, that was then. Don't know how he would fit this new version of the team. Huberdeau might be a playoff stud that we lacked. Hard to say since we haven't been there. He doesn't fit whatever we have built here. At least he hasn't.

It's a fool errand to predict the final standings. MTL and OTT both winning recently. I woulldn't even count them out of passing us, even though they are far behind. PIT and SEA are iffy at winning games down the stretch. Then again, I look at the teams we play and find it hard for us to take 5/11. It's not like the basement teams will be sitting top players. And hungry players want to earn a spot.

It's a retained salary trade no doubt. I'm not in any rush to get rid of him, but if he is worth a lot in trade then you for sure need to make the move. Maybe by TDL. Mangiapane for me is the bigger issue. Too many bigger D out there that can contain him. Paying $15M for a shutdown line? Seems a high price to pay. I'm not willing to take back crap or overpay to have someone take Huberdeau. If you want him, pay for it. We'll suck it up until he is back to a p/gp player. All that said, there is a time and place for development of young players. Coronato should be in there every day and learning from the vets.

It's actually 12 left. CHI has been really bad on the road this year, but they were missing CB for a big chunk. They are 5-5 last 10 but have only won against bottom feeders. I don't think we have a solution right now for CHI on the rush. Of those games against the feeders, I would think we lose 1 to ANA and 1 to SJS. I project our total to be 81 points and that might be stretching it. Our last 10, we are 3-7-0

I might be one of the few that actually sees a use for Kuzmenko. He's one of the few players we have that actually hits the net when he shoots it. He's a puck hound and I see him not turning it over as much as others. I don't think the fit is there with Huberdeau. Then again, I'm not sure who really fits with Huberdeau. IMHO, he turns over the puck on what should be routine plays. Almost like he thinks the game a certain way and nobody else see it that way. I know Huberdeau is untradeable, but I don't know what to do with him. Without a top C, he looks lost. Nothing against Sharky, because I think Sharky is doing the best he can with Huberdeau. The guy just thinks pass when the options aren't there. Even when he's in close and has a direct shot at the net. There seems to be little options available this summer for us to remake the team. Mangiapane, Coleman, Kuzmenko, Huberdeau, Kadri all have the most value. I should say that Huberdeau and Kadri have value to a team that wants to pay for that type of player and don't mind the term. I like Coleman, but he's the type of player you need to win a cup, not where we are. Mange is a player that might have value, but hard to find a fit. So, thinking about what we have, and letting the final pieces develop depending on what we have at the end of the summer, let's see what we have remaining: Zary-Sharky-? Pospisil-Kadri-Kuzmenko Huberdeau-Backlund-Coronato ?-Rooney-? If we were able to get a 1C, then we move Sharky to RW. Zary is a cerebral player that could make any line better. Moving Huberdeau to Backlund's line helps mitigate his play away from the puck perhaps. We can retain on Coleman and Mangiapane, even though I prefer to keep Coleman. We can't just run the same lines as this year again. It's just not there.

We have had a much harder time against the backups, right? Unlike most of the spoler teams, we aren't playing young guns to give them reps. Other than one goal tonight I didn't like, I don't think Markstrom would have fared better. Wolf made several stops that easily could have been a goal against either of our other goalies. The next 3 are against teams we have lost to. April we play WPG, EDM, LA and VAN. That leaves 4 trap games. Points are important to every team in all but 5 games. We are pooched. LOL. We have 2 call ups left to bring up guys and Coronato in the dog house.

I don't even think you need to bump down anyone for a full game to play Coronato extra, Sit Hunt or Greer, but not because of their play. Both have already proved themselves to the GM. You get a 4th line of Greer/Hunt-Rooney-Coronato. You give him minutes with Backlund. The other player he replaces goes to the 4th line or sits. He can play with the puck well enough, so he needs to gain confidence without it.

The weird thing is that teams like Buffalo and MTL and Ottawa are starting to gain some wins. There appears to be only 5 teams that will never catch us. I didn't include ARI, even though they are only 1 back of MTL.

It's funny when you go back to the draft preview: Jurmo's projectable 6-foot-4 frame and smooth-skating lend itself to covering large swaths of ice and carrying the puck from one zone to the next sometimes effortlessly. His speed makes him one of the best puck-rushers in the Finnish U20 league. He accelerates well when he's already in motion and is a deceptive skater in the neutral zone with crossovers and changes of pace. 6'4" (or 5), and close to 210 lbs. Smooth skater? Hard to project from Liiga to AHL/NHL. Sometimes it's better to be a D man first and a guy that scores 2nd. We have quite a few guys that can score.

We had to sign him before the summer or lose him, so this was a low risk signing.

For all the suck-it-tude, they are merely one back of us.

At one time I was as close as 240 off the pace. Haven't been closer than 700 in a long time.

Oilers drop 2 in a row. 5 goals on 23 shots against the Leafs 4 goals on 15 shots against the Sens.

Hadn't heard anything more about this, but I looked and he has singed a one year deal worth $870k including a signing bonus.

Maybe I undervalue the 1st rounder in the 10 to 12 range of NJ's. In relation to trading Markstrom for it, that is. If that's all we wanted, it would have been done. I see no point in keeping him; we are not a playoff team next season. At worst, a protected 1st (lotto protected only) in 2025, a young player and a prospect. If it's a Mercer, then forgo the 1st. If it's Holtz, then a 1st. The prospect is for the retained salary. We have supplemental picks in the 2nd to 4th rounds, depending on VAN and VGK results. I think the lokgc for trading any of those picks is to move up in a round if we see the guy we want. Like a 2nd plus a 4th to move up 5 spots in the 2nd.

I'm pretty sure there was a bunch that wanted him then, but we chose the other LW. Pretty crazy numbers for D+1. Then again, HB's numbers are pretty insane for a another D+1 player. I would like to see more goals from him. LOL

I was saying that the rumored offer was a 1st + Holtz + another pick to retain salary. It seems more than just a rumour. Getting to the last WC with the lowest points would only have been 17th if they lose in Rd 1. Unless we are talking about a pre-draft trade, NJ wouldn't offer the 1st. Not unless they were a couple of spots ahead of us and we swapped picks. So, maybe pre-draft NJ might consider 1st + Holtz + Stillman for Markstrom + Cgy 1st + retained salary. Or something like that.

I almost expect a Central team to take 1st in the West, so EDM or VAN would face 7th. EDM has 3 games in hand on the Nucks, so they need to go 3-0 in those games to be just 2 back. Easier said than done. They only beat MTL because the had most of a 4 minute PP to start OT. VAN battling the 3rd in the Pacific would be LA or Vegas. I would prefer that both VAN and Vegas win a round to start. The reality of our playoff hopes are sinking in with the players. A minimum 10 point gap to make up. Our un-magic number is 9.5 (CGY losses, Vegas wins with .5 meaning a OTL).

I am not inclined to include the Nucks pick unless it's to move up a bunch in the draft. Even then it would need to be something major. The idea of including it with Markstrom or Ras offends me, LOL. If there is a market for Markstrom this summer, he should be worth a 1st plus a good prospect. Or a top young player/prospect. That 1st would not be top 10 though. It would need to be in the next draft if the current one was top 10. There is some speculation that Vladar has been injured for more than just this season. Is he a Monahan that will come off the surgery and be lights out for awhile? Or a Gillies? Anyway, the best for the team is to trade Markstrom for a top prospect or young player. Give the reins to Vladar and Wolf. If they fail, we need to address it but will take the better draft picks in the future.

To be more clear, I wasn't suggesting Kuzmenko needed to sit. That's the problem with our lineup, there is no clear fit for Coronato. Greer is doing well enough to play, as is Rooney and Hunt. Kuzmenko, when the line is pushing the play, is as good as Huberdeau. The line can be trouble without the puck, and it isn't just Kuzmenko. I think Hunt is doing what he can, and I think 4th line is best fit. I think I would like to see Coronato or Kuzmenko with Backlund and Coleman. SO, that means you sit Mangiapane.

I don't even view the Janko pick as the worst of that 2012. Seiloff and Gillies, though I admit Gillies was a bad case of development. 3 throw away picks in the later rounds. You might well argue that the 2011 draft was worse with the exception of Gaudreau. Two picks in the 2nd round and we pick Granlund and Wotherspoon over Kucherov. Even though we had eyes on him supposedly. Some idiot decide to trade Brossoit. Anyway I am relatively happy with the progression of drafting.