travel_dude

How often is the son better than the father or even as good?

Bear in mind that even a top 10 spot has the chance of being bumped down one. When the NHL doesn't like a result, they change the system.

Here you go. We are 9 points up on Ottawa but they have 4 games in hand. 8 up on CBJ but they have one in hand. If we trade Hanifin and/or Tanev and Lindholm, we might see better play, LOL. No, I think that puts us in the re-tool range and would start lookin at Wolf to back up. TBH, it may be exactly the wrong time to start Wolf. Make the trades you need, decise if you are going young, then see if there is a need to start Wolf.

So, you are saying both Hanifin and Lindholm for Mercer and Meier. We lose a top C and a top pairing D and get neither back. Mercer is a strong piece to get back no doubt. I think Meier is someone they are committed to, since they signed the big deal with him. I would separate Hanifin and Lindholm deals. Hanifin gets you a C (and an injured D), while you could trade Lindholm for a good young D. That's sort of the way trades work out, where one team has excess in one area. With your suggested pairs, we have a often injured Tanev re-signed to help Kyl.

Greer looked like he could be done. Through no fault but their own, they lost a regular player in Ruzicka at a time they knew Dube was going to be gone. I don't really care if he was not meeting their expectations; he was at least one of the top players they have coming out of the AHL. There is no excuse for that. The GM knows that any trades he makes has to take into account current roster.

Meier wouldn't make sense, since we would be missing the C. I like the player, just we would need a C to match him. I would do Sieganthaler + mercer for Hanifin, but I doubt they would. Sieg is injured but has no trade protection. We would suffer until he was back, but he's young and signed for years.

Combine with losing Dube, we had taken a hit. Zary doesn't replace either guy, since he's not a 4th liner. I would have preferred they bring up MEP to play with Schwindt. At least until Pelletier is back. Then we can figure out the lines.

Kadi and a 1st for Monahan.

They loves us some CGY players. Good luck in Zona there buddy. Probably be a star. Meanwhile we get to choke on Oesterle.

It's hard to collect picks when you don't have assets worth them and you have traded away a bunch to be middle of the road. I don't fault BT for making deals that someone told him would make us a contender. I blames the fools that told him we were one and just needed player X. Toffoli was a decent trade, but we didn't have a #2C at the time. Jarnkrok was a decent add, but not at where he fit (he didn't) on this team. Anyway, I am expecting to wander in the wasteland for a few years. We can't and won't be able to do a quick re-tool. Could we get some really good prospects or young players with little experience? No doubt. I don't think there is much traction in re-signing Hanifin. Nothing discussed in the last month. That doesn't bode well for retaining any of the UFA's. Hanifin, Lindholm and Tanev. The others not so much. Kylington is the kind of guy you keep to get him to the next level or just let him go. Have a bit of runway to decide. Doubt he gets dealt. The others may not be that important.

They need to wait until the waiver period has ended to officially add Kylington to the roster. That is, now that they recalled Duehr. Seems like Ruzicka is the bad guy with this coach. Duehr has done little to bump him, but I am not a great judge. Ruzicka, since the hit in October, has not been the same. I think he is playing shy. You can look at his stats before and after to see it. The final nail seems to have been the penalty he took. I hope Rosie gets back what he lost, either here or elsewhere. Duehr is not exactly an improvement. MEP would have been my prefference.

We are showing 22 on the roster, so not included in the number. As soon as Ruzicka and DeSimone are claimed or assigned, we have 20. Then Pelts and Kyl get added to the number. Dube is not in the same situation as Kylington was. Just non-roster personal leave. So, we pay (in more ways than one) until he goes on LTIR (if allowed) or is terminated. The latter is way too far from reality to consider. I was thinking that he may turn state's evidence if he was a witness. Ask for immunity. But that would imply that he was quiet about it. I had heard that the stories surfaced after the fact. Somebody felt it needed to be reported. It may not be as cut and dried as they kept silent. After all, HC was keeping this under wraps and LPS didn't press charges. Sorry, I may be mixing this up with Halifax 2003. This whole saga is sickening. I hate the implications to hockey and to the WJC. We all know young adults do stupid things, but this is assault at it's worst.

London Police will have a presser on Feb. 5th to go over any details of the actions that they can. Wonderful, the first day back after the NHL All Star break.

I think that we missed any chance to trade him. It was as soon as the investigation started. Once that happened, I think the players on the WJC team were PNG, where nobody would touch them. I will be glad when we get back to hockey and not toxic hockey. This really is a black eye to Hockey Canada and by affiliation the NHL. Not that the NHL had any control, just that the players are part of the league. A league that wants more women and girls to become fans.

Here is the only things Dube has said to the media, either directly or through his agent. Foote also issued a statement through his agent.... A year agio, this is what he said to the media: “Since the beginning I’ve cooperated in any way possible,” said Dube. “I will continue to do that. With it going on, I wish I could share more, but that’s kind of all I can share up to this point.” Also.... Dillon Dube, Toronto Star, July 18: his agent Dave Cowan told reporter Kevin McGran that “Dillon did not engage in any wrongdoing, and he co-operated fully with the independent London Police Service investigation in 2018, through which all players were then cleared of any wrongdoing.” Cal Foote, May 30: His agent, Kurt Overhardt, also spoke with Ken Campbell, and is quoted as saying “Cal Foote was not involved in any way.” None of the other 3 provided comment.

The Flames responses seem to indicate they were in the dark if it pans out that way. Mental health was the discussion they had with him.

The closest I got was about 250 behind. I haven't been close since. It's a close race between you an the guy that has Oilers and Nucks players. That said, you have been able to keep your distance.

Also.... Dillon Dube, Toronto Star, July 18: his agent Dave Cowan told reporter Kevin McGran that “Dillon did not engage in any wrongdoing, and he co-operated fully with the independent London Police Service investigation in 2018, through which all players were then cleared of any wrongdoing.” Cal Foote, May 30: His agent, Kurt Overhardt, also spoke with Ken Campbell, and is quoted as saying “Cal Foote was not involved in any way.” None of the other 3 provided comment.

A year agio, this is what he said to the media: “Since the beginning I’ve cooperated in any way possible,” said Dube. “I will continue to do that. With it going on, I wish I could share more, but that’s kind of all I can share up to this point.”

I get that. The thing that concerns me is that there has only been 5 players asking for indefinite leave and there are 5 that have to surrender to the police. That's not being a witness and not doing anything. That implies charges being levelled.

So, they have Oesterle practicing with Kylington. They must have decided that Oesterle is a keeper? I don't se it. He has been aweful. The final goal was mostly on his inability to defend. I get all out there were too loosey goosey allowing the neutral zone to be gained, but he was the line of defense. Perhaps Ruzicka can go to a team that knows how to use him. He hasn't done much since being demoted to the 4th line or healthy scratch. TBH, I'm not seeing much talent on the 4th line this season. Might as well waive him because you weren't going to get much on a trade with him. Poor use of waivers though. The guy least likely to provide upside is the guy they keep. Could have waived him today and still used him tomorrow, if you are that desperate.

I wasn't trashing you, just saying that we need certain players. ASP would have been a good use of 2nd pick, but we didn't have one. But there were a lot of players I would have like to have drafted.

May there be a 6th, so that Dube's name won't be dragged into the mud. At this point I don't hold out much hope. Not a good look on the Flames if it turns out they knew of the reason for the mental health break.

So, one has requested mental health absences, while the other 4 have just asked for leave of absences. I hope that Dube's is mental health, which sounds odd. The stigma associated with mental health is bad enough for the player to deal with, but one hopes that it is not an excuse for "personal" reasons.

Unfortunately, anyone missing from practice is going to be painted with that brush. The dots are distressing, since 5 people that were on that squad are all MIA. If there was no story about 5 players being asked to surrender themselves, this wouldn't be an issue. The timing for them sucks. FWIW, Marino is also missing practice.