BCNate

We will be more competitive next year, but will make a big push two years from now. After next season we have Myers and Pearson expiring, and will have a pretty clear idea of the Poolman situation. We will have a fair amount of $ to spend (no not all of it goes to EP and FH). I'd give OEL a chance to show he can play in Tocchets system, much like the gaggle of AHL D who are performing well. I'd rather try to deal him with 50% retention than buy him out. That costs 14 mil and ends in 4 years, as opposed to a buyout costing the 16.6 mil over 6, but with the high # being 4.5 mil for two of the years.

I'd give them a 8.5/10. I think they have made some great moves, have a clear direction, and are untangling much of Benning mess.

I agree, they have a number for that role alongside EP and KUZ. I'm not sure I'd go to 4 mil even. I think if you put a guy like Pods, or Kravstov there, they would be .5ppg at the end of the year.

12-4 is going to put us in the 9-12 range. We will be fine. I get all these draft guys have their lists and rankings, but they really don't mean a whole lot. Outside of the top 4, there is no guarantee that #5, lets say Benson, has a better career than Sale at #9. Enjoy the ride, this team is on the right path. If we get .910 goaltending and .78 PK next season, we are going to do some damage. That puts us at league average in both and saves us nearly 80 goals against. Our issues are very fixable.

If we can sign him long term at 4, I'd do it. I don't think you need to go any higher than that to find someone to produce with EP and AK. Depending on how things are looking at the deadline next year, he would have value for sure, especially if we retained half. I doubt we are in that spot, I have a sneaking suspicion we will win the division.

My guess is we go 12-4.

No, they are not in cap hell. They will have to get creative to move things around a little, but I think they will be fine. Garland is going to get into the 50 point range, with most coming 5vs5. He is certainly tradeable with 3yrs left at under 5. I think he could be dealt for a 2nd paring LD with similar term and $ left. There are going to be teams that at heavy on LD that need to open up space for prospects, and may need some help on the middle 6 wings. Myers will be tradeable with some retention. If we get his cap hit to 4, after paying his bonus, he will have a market for sure. Poolman is most likely done. Not many guys sit out a year and a half due to head issues and come back. If I'm correct, we can probably deal this contract. Pearson will start on LTIR from the sounds of it. I'd love to move his deal, but that may be tough. I've really liked what this management group has done, and the guys they have targeted. I'm feeling confident in their ability to have a very productive off season.

Not expecting too much from him, but anything we get is a bonus. I find a lot of these college seniors that people get exceited about have 1 dominant skill, AM's is his shot. Now whether that translates across to the NHL level is the big question.

Job 1- Open up cap space prior to the draft -Trade Myers, will require retention (2Mil) and not return much -Trade Garland, might have to retain 1 mil to acquire a 2nd -Trade Pearson, probably have to retain half for future considerations -Trade Poolmans LTIR contract. I assume he is done, and someone will want the relief. This opens up 12 million. Job 2- Draft BPA Job 3- Be active in the NCAA/Euro/Non qualified UFAs Job 4- Sign our Players -Re Sign- Wolanin, Juulsen, Burroughs, Di Guiseppe to two way deals, or they walk -Re Sign Kravtsov, Bear to 1 way deals -Dermott and Delia walk UFA -Sign Soucy to play with OEL -Sign Graves to play with Hronek -Sign an experienced back up that is on the tail end of their career to a shorter cheap deal ex. Quick, Andersen -Sign the best defensive PK 3C we can get with our remaining $. easy.

We just need to load up on 7th rounders going forward: -Kudryavtsev -Forsell is nearly .5 ppg in the SHL at 19 -Persson has shown promise and is a good sized RD -McDonaugh has had a very good career at Northeastern -Costmar played in the WJC, but has tailed off since. If any of these guys make any sort if impact, even in Abby, thats a solid win.

I think you could deal any of Boeser, Garland, or Beauvillier at the draft for $4 million and get a 2nd rounder in return. No retention on AB, 1 mil on CG, 2.6 on Boeser. I think Garland would be the best guy to move.

At this stage I think the bottom 4 are pretty set: ANA- 17 games left 51 points SJ- 16 games left 50 points CHI- 18 games left 49 points CBS- 18 games left 47 points I can't see any of these teams getting hot and catching us. I think we fit firmly in the 5-9 range: 9) STL- 18 games left 61 points 8)VAN- 18 games left 59 points 7)PHI- 17 games left 59 points 6)MTL- 17 games left 58 points 5)AZ- 17 games left 56 points My guess is that we pick somewhere in this tier. The odds of winning one of the lotteries only changes by 3% in that group. There are going to be some great options in this range: Benson Smith Sale Dvorsky Yager Reinbacher I think the other teams are just to far ahead for us to catch. Assume we go 12-6 down the stretch and end with 83 points 13) Nash- 20 games left 69 points (7-13) 12) Wash- 16 games left 69 points (7-9) 11) Buff- 18 games left 68 points (7-9-1) 10) Det- 18 games left 67 points (8-10)

100000% option 1. We aren't going to be be that competitive next season, no way they give up this 1st. I'd expect that they will really manage his minutes next year, and have him on the third pair. Obviously bad value for the third pair, but hopefully he can be a useful player if he is more sheltered.

While I have pretty low expectations for McDonough, anytime we sign a prospect with potential to the Organization it is a good thing. Hope he gets some looks with us down the stretch here.

Beauvillier has been excellent so far for us. He is producing in a pretty favorable situation with EP and Kuz. That isn't to take anything away from him, but I doubt he would be putting up the same production on our 2nd line. AB will a curious one to watch over the next year...he is a good fit, so for the right price we probably retain him. Or do we continue to build his value and trade him at the TDL next year, with retention on a 4mil deal you'd probably get a 1st if her is pacing for 60 points. I don't think we need to spend a ton on that lines wing and have some wingers coming up through the system, so I'm really torn on what we should do. Either way though, Beauviller has been found money, as I think we was put in the deal to make the cap work.

Isles fans seem to be pretty happy with the deal despite a dip in production. Horvat seems to have filled a gap on the Isles roster, and they are playing real well. This is good news for us as they are lowering our cost to get Hronek.

I think the biggest improvement under Tocchet has been the way we break out of our zone. What a difference from before, and it is leading to much more offense. A more structured approach to the way we play in our zone doesn't necessarily mean less offense. In our case right now it is leading to a much better offensive game, as we have the puck far more often than before. but, with regard to the trade....I think people can start to breath a little. This is not going to be an unprotected lottery pick next season. The Isles are most likely going to be in the playoffs, and are looking like the will be heading in hot. Pick is looking like it's most likely 16-18.

If I mistook you question, then I apologize for my response. it would depend on the severity of the injury, both in who it happened to, and how long they would be out. If it’s a season ender, you have LTIR space to fill the hole for the rest of the year. If it’s not, you shift everyone up the lineup and use the farm or waivers to fill out the bottom. Or, depending where the team is in the standings is you make a trade to fill the void, knowing you are going to have to shed cap to get the injured player back in. Had we been 15-4-2 when Demko got hurt, he would have gone LTIR and we would have traded for someone’s back up once it became clear Martin/Delia weren’t a short term answer. Then cap gymnastics to make it work when Demko is healthy.

What do you think? if you have a point, just go ahead and try to make it rather than ask silly questions.

He is crazy talented, and putting up a huge season. I personally would have him below Michkov, Benson, Sale, Barlow in terms of wingers. Michkov and Benson I feel are at a higher level, and if we are not getting someone at their level, I'd rather get bigger on the wings. My guess is that Cristall goes in the 12-20 range and some team is going to be really happy.

I'm not a fan of trading off 2nds at all, and do hope that we are able to get one back somehow. With that said, the pick is most likely 40-42. it is really 50/50 whether you get a guy like Erik Cernak or a Cameron Morrison.

I think most would expect that Benson and Smith will be the next off the board, in either order. I do think they are in their own tier. After that it will be chaos, Sale, Dvorsky, Cristall, Moore, Yager, Barlow, Leonard, Danielson could go in any order. I'd expect that at least 2 D are mixed there as well. I really feel we will come away with Yager if we go with a C, or Reinbacher if we go D.

The threat of this being a unprotected pick caused a pretty high level of panic. Florida, Buffalo, Ottawa, Calgary all would need to pass them on PP%, I feel that is pretty unlikely at this stage.

If an injury happens you deal with it. Same as any other team in the NHL. A key injury could derail the whole season, as it could in Edmonton if Mcavid was out long term. That's just sports.

It is looking more and more like NYI are going to make the playoffs. Detroit and Washington have fallen out of the race, and Ottawa/Buffalo are going to have to get pretty hot to keep pace as well. I think it is going to be 2 of Pittsburgh/FLA/NYI that get the wild cards. I think this ends up being #16-18OA + #40-42 OA for Hronek + #110oa. If Hronek plays as well with us as he did in Detroit this season, it is hard not to like that deal.