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GoldenAlien

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Everything posted by GoldenAlien

  1. The thing that many seem to ignore was that Hamhuis and Vrbata had NTCs, and both were reluctant to waive. Hamhuis preferred to re-sign and stay in Vancouver; Vrbata and his wife were expecting a baby that May and didn't want to move. Vrbata did have to provide a list of 8 teams per his contract, and he admitted he put 5 non-playoff teams on it and only 3 playoff teams, in an effort to thwart a trade. Hamhuis didn't want to waive until late and even then he said he was only open to a couple teams. These are players on the downside of their careers, not Taylor Hall or Erik Karlsson. When they limit your potential trading partners to 2-3 teams, chances are you're not going to get anything worthwhile back.
  2. Seems like Benning has taken notice: SN: You just had your pro scouting meetings, five weeks ahead of the Feb. 24 trade deadline. Are those meetings more fun when you may actually be a buyer at the deadline after several years of trying to sell assets? JB: We’re getting to a point now where we’ve drafted well and are developing players in the minors. We’ve got guys down there that we need to get them some games up here. (Justin) Bailey has three hat tricks. He’s playing good and it would be nice to have a look at him (in the NHL). We’ve had some defencemen (like Brogan Rafferty) who have had good seasons and we’d like to get a look at them. There are some players down there now ready to play NHL games. SN: How does that impact your deadline thinking? JB: In other years, we were scrambling to find players. Now we’ve got guys who are waiting for their chance. That’s exciting for us.
  3. Comets’ Jasek pushing to enhance play UTICA – Lukas Jasek had some mixed emotions. The skilled Czech center was pleased after tapping in his career-best 10th goal of the season following a shot by Brogan Rafferty to help the Comets escape with a 6-5 overtime win against Hartford on Wednesday after surrendering a big lead. However, the 22-year-old isn’t content with his play. “I know I can be better,” said Jasek, who has three game-winning goals this season. “To be honest, I’m not happy with how my season is going (in terms of points production). I’m trying to do my best and trying to do everything I can in practice. I just want to be better every day.” Rafferty said Jasek getting the goal was a credit to his recent performance. “He’s playing well for us,” Rafferty said. Thirty-nine games into his second pro season, Jasek has played throughout the lineup as what Comets coach head coach Trent Cull refers to as a utility role. Jasek – who appears to be a solid player defensively – is carving out a role on the team’s 10th-ranked penalty kill while also seeing some time on the power play, which is fifth-best in the American Hockey League. “He was further down the lineup and I wanted him to show something more. We talked about that,” Cull said Thursday as the team prepared to take on Hartford again Friday. “He had more of an opportunity from me (Wednesday). I thought he got better as the game wore on. We’ve talked about all situations and the opportunity is there.” Jasek has moved to center this season after a solid season playing on the wing with the Comets. The move was out of necessity as the Comets have needed some help down the middle. John Stevens was acquired last week to help fill the need at center for the Comets, who have also recently been without Seamus Malone (shoulder; participated in an optional practice Thursday) and Wacey Hamilton (broken foot). Jasek said he likes the move to the middle. It allows him to do more, he said. “I like it more than the wing,” Jasek said. “I can skate anywhere and I can help the team that way. I like it because I can be the playmaker on my line.”
  4. A look at Karlsson's two goals: He has 7 points (2G + 5A) in 4 games since getting traded to BIK Karlskoga. Had 22 points (8G + 14A) in 36 games before that.
  5. One thing to keep in mind for bottom six forwards is that sometimes their chance for success is much more dependent on how well their game translates than how much scoring prowess they show. If you look at someone like Roussel: 17-18 years old: QMJHL - 56GP - 7G - 20PT 18-19 years old: QMJHL - 70GP - 13G - 37PT 19-20 years old: QMJHL - 58GP - 15G - 35PT 20-21 years old: QMJHL - 68GP - 24G - 47PT Even as an overager, Roussel was under a point per game in the Q. Then he turned pro. His first three years in the AHL: Providence Bruins: 42GP - 1G - 8PT Chicago Wolves: 61GP - 4G - 9PT Texas Stars: 43G - 8G - 19PT While in his third AHL season, he was called up to Dallas and had 39GP - 7G - 14PT. He made the NHL full time the next season and got 81GP - 14G - 29PT. Roussel's juniors/ minor pro career was utterly unremarkable. But the key here is his game fits well at the next level. He scored 0.44 ppg in his last (and best) season in the AHL. He scored 0.36 ppg in his first 1.5 season in the NHL. In fact, his NHL career numbers -- 499GP - 78G - 180PT -- averages out to 0.36 ppg. He barely lost any production going from the AHL to the NHL. At 5'11, he's not exactly a physical specimen, and he doesn't have any standout skills. But he's fast, he's tenacious, he plays smart and he knows his role. Obviously it's too early to tell, but this can be Lockwood's story too with any luck.
  6. That's right, San Jose was trying to clear cap space for Heatley, who they got a couple weeks later. However, the deal wasn't exactly two busts for Ehrhoff. No one cared about Patrick White -- by 2009 it was clear he was a pretty mediocre prospect. However, because he was a first round pick, the team who owned his rights get a compensatory second round pick if they don't sign him. That was the real value of the trade to the Sharks. They got to dump Lukowich (who was on his way out of the NHL), and receive a second round pick for Ehrhoff. Rahimi was probably just there to make the contract count even on both sides. When the Sharks declined to sign White, they got the 55th pick in the 2012 draft, which became Chris Tierney.
  7. Juolevi gets a goal + an assist on an empty netter:
  8. "His number one asset is a big heart," stated Igor Larionov, NHL and international hockey legend and assistant coach for Team Russia at this year's WJC. "You can have all the skill in the world - and he has a lot of it - but without his passion and commitment to his teammates, he's not the same player. "He has an eagerness to win and he hates to lose," he continued. "And he's so determined every night to be consistent and help the team win. I told him he reminds me of Mark Messier. He fights for the win every single night and he's not afraid to go one-on-one against an opponent. He's a tremendous leader by example and he's only 18."
  9. Madden had 12 goals and 28 points in 36 games last year, he's already ahead with 15 fewer games played.
  10. Now up to 7G + 1A in 17 games.
  11. Gets the game winner and the first star tonight:
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