Curmudgeon

Obscure reference, but I like it.

Man, do your research on the guy. He grew up around the Soo Greyhounds and in his three years as GM of the Soo, he turned the franchise around. Seems he did know what he was doing. Then, as GM of the Toronto Marlies, his team won the Calder Cup. Now, it is true that he created a really top-heavy roster in Toronto, but do you think he was acting alone? Don't you see Shanahan's fingerprints all over the roster? I mean, Shanahan is in a perfect position: he stays in the background, approves or disapproves of every single move the GM makes and then allows the GM to take the fall when the plan fails. In my humble opinion, Shanahan should be canned; he's done Sweet Fanny Adams in nine years. Oh, and if he wants, Dubas could probably get another GM job within the week.

I agree, but can't help but think that the people of Tempe said, "Hmmm, we have a choice between development or a landfill. You know, I think we're good with the landfill." It would, however, be ironic to have the Hapless Coyotes playing on top of a garbage dump. Seems......poetic.

And, I would point out, Tyler Myers was born in Houston and would provide a great hometown boy comes home story.

Houston (17,000 seat arena) or Salt Lake City (14,000 seat arena). Maybe as early as next season. Bettman announced the move from Atlanta to Winnipeg on May 31st for an October startup. It can be done.

I like the trade. I am eager to win sooner rather than later, and Hronek will help. The draft picks they surrendered in 2023 are unlikely to be full-time NHLers for at least three years and more likely longer, particularly for defensemen. So if you don't trade for Hronek, and you draft with those two picks, what do you do until those prospects are ready to play? Keep losing because help is on the way?

On paper, Carolina looks like a far better team than Florida. So did Boston. So did Toronto. Florida has 8 wins and 4 losses. Florida is booking travel for the Conference Final while Boston and Toronto are booking tee times. Anything can happen from here.

No. The call on the ice was no goal. Then it was reviewed. There was not enough evidence to overturn the call on the ice. Ergo, not definitive, so no goal.

Not a fan of Vegas or Edmonton, but the stickwork in this series is as bad as I've ever seen. Also, it is painfully obvious that the Oilers are targeting Mark Stone's back. And yes I know that hockey is a contact sport and it's the playoffs and all, but some of the crosschecks are brutal. Both ways. I don't like this kind of hockey.

I'm not trying to get in an argument with you. You obviously didn't hear me and you called me a shattalker and a liar. I am done with you.

I can appreciate you having a different point of view, but I would also appreciate you extending the same courtesy to me as I extend to you. I don't ever refer to anyone's opinion as "shattalk" and I ask that you don't either. It's insulting and inappropriate.

I appreciate you digging up all this information. It certainly looks like Lekkerimaki stands out from the rest. Like you, I am hopeful that he can make a splash in the SHL, but my point was only that 19 year-old players traditionally don't get a lot of ice time. Pettersson was an outlier in that regard. It remains to be seen if a) Lekkerimaki gets decent ice time and b) he can be dominant at the SHL level. I mean, he didn't do much in the Allsvenskan, and yes I know he was going through a whole lot of things this season, but to expect he'll suddenly be a guy who scores 15-20 goals and plays 16-18 minutes a night is optimistic at best. I'm not saying he'll fail, I'm just saying we all need to temper our expectations and not expect him to be the second coming of Petey or Forsberg or Sundin. That's all.

I agree. Nineteen year-olds in the SHL don't get a lot of ice time and statistically, the 19 year-old cohort is pretty much a wasteland. I looked at every SHL roster for outstanding 19 year-olds. The best put up 10 points. The top five were: Sjoholm from Jonkoping - 2G8A, Stromgren from Brynas - 3G5A, Stjernborg from Vaxjo - 1G7A; Robertsson from Skelleftea - 5G2A, and Sjodin from Angleholm 1G6A. I can't see a scenario where Lekkermaki gets quality opportunities in a league that doesn't give opportunities to its younger players.

The sure did. I think I saw nine games overall and never went away disappointed in the effort, the speed and the fitness of the players. But for a bounce of the puck here and there, many of them could play in Vancouver. Abbotsford as the farm team was a brilliant move, both for fans and for the organization. They are building a solid fan base out here in the valley.

I stand corrected. thank you.

Ruff's Devils had a 49 point improvement this season, which would ordinarily be enough to win, but 135 points and an all-time NHL record says Montgomery.

This reminds me of the scene in the Life of Brian where Brian is chased down by some worshippers who claim he is the Messiah. But I'm not the Messiah, he says. The crowd responds, only the true Messiah denies that he is the Messiah. Brian, exasperated, says Alright then, I am the Messiah. Crowd: He IS the Messiah. So Brian, like the NHL, can't win no matter what he says.

Not only that, he generously passed on Quinn Hughes and took Filip Zadina instead. In 190 games Zadina has put up 28 goals and 40 assists. Hughes put up more assists this season than Zadina has points in his career. Thanks, Steve. With imagination and patience, Detroit could have Hughes and Hronek along with Seider.

Most of the voters are in bed asleep when Canucks game even start. They have little to no idea how good Petey and Quinn are. It has always been that way and it always will be.

I think Bergeron is done. Krejci only came back this year to help the Bruins make a run, and I doubt he'll be back either. Foligno may be gone, too. Orlov is a free agent and will have offers from all over. Boston had a once in a lifetime season that they will not duplicate next year. No 1st and 2nd in 2023, no 1st, 2nd and 3rd in 2024 and no 2nd and 4th in 2025. To me it is clear that the rebuild has to start this offseason, when they need to move some assets for picks and prospects. There's not much promise in Boston's current prospects cupboard. This year was supposed to be Boston going all in to win the Cup and the fact that they were dumped in the first round coupled with their stars aging out means they need to begin acquiring and developing the next wave of Bruins. Won't be easy.

Told ya.

Matthew Knies. Haven't heard this much hype about a one-goal player since 18 year-old Sam Bennett. Sounds like he's the second coming of Gretzky.

Don't know about that. IIRC, McCann had an attitude of entitlement that rubbed everybody the wrong way. Vancouver moved him to Florida where he put up 18 goals in parts of three seasons before he was traded to Pittsburgh, where he put up 36 goals in two and a half seasons. He was then left unprotected and Seattle scooped him up. He has become a star NHL player in Seattle, but it took until his 7th and 8th seasons before he became what he is now. Willie didn't shaft him, he simply wasn't ready and that's on the Canucks for an immature 19 year-old kid making the team when he should have been left in junior or in the AHL.

You are not wrong. The principal point of contact was the head. No question.