[Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW]

Considering our past problems revolved around too many players like Nylander and not enough like Virtanen, i'm more than happy with the pick.

I prefer wingers to be big, fast, drive the net guys rather than slick, non-physical playmakers though.

[Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW]

^Because the draft is rigged.

[Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW]

From 2007 Red Line:

Slick Zach Hamill is this year's most consistently underrated forward. He is constantly knocked for being either too slightly built, too much a perimeter player or not fast enough for a little guy. But all he does is produce. Hey, he must have done something right to lead the WHL in scoring at 18 years old. But to hear some scouts talk, you would think he was a big disappointment. He is very intelligent on and off the ice and a real character kid, too. He has soft hands and reads the whole ice beautifully with great anticipation.

Hamill at 8th overall was just another case of 'Hockey IQ', 'Intelligence', 'Soft Hands', 'Reading the Ice' etc. being overrated.

A guy could get away with being smallish if he's not perimeter and slow too. If he's all that, then his bust potential is just too damn high.

Virtanen is not too small or too slow and he goes to the net with gusto. He's got size, speed, skill and a helluva shot. He's got potential to be the best player in the draft imho.

[Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW]

I posted this on HF:

For fun, and because I can't sleep at all, I decided to do some stat tracking to see where Virtanen sits amongst the top U18 goalscorers of the CHL (since the 2000-2001 season, turn of the century pretty much). Because eliteprospects doesn't track stats across all three leagues of the CHL I did it by hand and recorded the top single-season goalscorers of every league down to the "Virtanen Standard". Ties were determined by total points, if a further tiebreaker is needed, GP shall be used. Here it is:

So, as I said, I did this because I wanted to see where Virtanen stood amongst prospects in recent years in his strongest attribute.

What I learned from it is that Ehlers is a great scorer, like really good at scoring.

I also see Shinkaruk right there, making Ehlers quite redundant at the small LW position.

While Virtanen has Evander Kane upside. Good.

[Lu tweet thread]

Because it was more MG's fault. Signing him to that contract and dragged the trade for 2 years (took him like 5 months to get Booth deal done) and also lost Schneider. Luo also never slammed the door on the way out and the team wanted to replace him Schneider

While Kesler wasn't happy that we had a losing team last year and bullied his way to get traded to Anahiem or Chicago while having his agent harass Benning almost daily

At the end of the day, both players dissed the Canucks, the city and it's fans. Lu continues to do so via twitter. Kesler's been relatively silent. But Kesler's the asshole. Okay then.

[Lu tweet thread]

So i'm wondering why Lu gets a free pass while Kesler doesn't. If memory serves, they both requested a trade that handcuffed our gm.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

Hey we're Philly! Sign and buyout all the free agents!

[Nikita Tryamkin | D]

He was ranked 123rd among euros in the 2013 draft, but was passed over. He may have a 3rd-pairing upside. But hey, he's big, and that's a yay. I like this overager more than, say, Mallet.

With guys this tall the question is if he'll peak at an 'relatively' unbalanced 220-230lb player or be a monstrous 250-260lb player, while maintaining some NHL-calibre speed. Then he'll need to improve his overall skill as well.

Hopefully Benning has some tidbits on how to develop tough, but ho-hum players into jacked-up physical freaks like the Bruins. Then my outlook on Tyramkin grows.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

Miller told Liut 3 weeks ago, Vancouver was high on his list, says he was well received by fans at the Olympics in 2010.

Ah, so Miller's trolling us here? Or Liut? Or 1130? Or what? Because this makes like, zero sense.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

That's a pretty idiotic comment. What's wrong with being 34? There are a tons of goalies that shine in their 30's. If you think being 34 is too old give your head a shake.

Luongo is currently 35.

To me it's not about the goaltending anyway. It's about the defense and the size of the pads the goaltender is able to use in the playoffs. Crawford/Niemi style.

[[Trade] Sam Gagner dealt to AZ Coyotes]

I for one think Gagner still has some upside to him. Good qualcomp center. And he might actually work out in Phx with Vermette and Hanzal taking the hard work shifts. But then again, nah.

[[Rumor] Canucks will make a serious attempt at Iginla]

If people want Iginla, it starts with getting Miller.

No UFA that wants to win a cup is going to be convinced Lack is a number 1 at this point. Too unproven.

Miller in net gives players more confidence in this team IMO.

Fine. Sign both to 1yr deals and move on. I can't see us actually landing Iginla though. Miller is more likely because it's a buyers market and there's the Benning connection. Hell, we could even sign him long-term.

My problem with Miller is that I find him to be a very unlikeable person. Just me though. If some fans here find Kesler to be snarky, full of himself, and cocky for no reason, then Miller will be viewed here as a straight up jerk. My view though. Doesn't mean much.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

Tell that to Carolina and / or Edmonton for their finals year. The team with the hotter goalie won that.

Or when the Florida Panthers made it to the finals riding a wicked-hot Vanbiesbrouck.

A hot goalie at the right time CAN win in the playoffs. Some youthful energy, solid tactics and veteran experience and this team is a lot better than the performance last year.

We have substantial problems that go beyond goaltending though.

Tactics mean squat when you don't have the horses.

The vets are fading.

And the 'youthful energy' is either average-skilled (Vey, Kassian) or years away (Virtanen, Horvat)

But on the plus side, Miller probably does nothing to prevent a proper rebuild. And we could trade him for assets at the deadline if he's appropiately signed to a 1yr deal.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

Hell no to that shifty-eyed mofo.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

I'd sign Miller, Iginla etc. vets to amazingly high priced one year deals and the deal them to the contender of their choosing at the deadline.

Everyone happy.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

To all the people poo-pooing this...

1) He hasn't signed snuff yet

2) We have a quickly filling cupboard of prospects

3) We still have a pretty full roster which still went on a really great tear last year - if January was a .500 month instead of what it was, we were a playoff team.

4) Ryan Miller is far from done

5) As much as I'd love McDavid, make the playoffs, any team can win. Miller CAN be a franchise-level goalie, and if he's available for just money, why not take a flyer on him? If he isn't our man, trade him for assets coming back. If he is, and he's motivated to win? Look out.

No, any team cannot win in the playoffs by merely making the playoffs. This belief is what has kept Calgary and other pretender teams from doing proper rebuilds.

That being said Miller oversaw Buffalo finishing dead-last last season. So what are we expecting from him here, in a similarly weak lineup vs. way better western competition.

Hmmm, Benning may be onto something here.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

It's, the future, I sense, a lot of this:

"Millerrrrrr...

Millerrrrrr...

Millerrrrrr..."

[[Trade] Sam Gagner dealt to AZ Coyotes]

Ribeiro, cash and picks for Gagner?

M'kay...

[[Trade] Gagner for Purcell]

Not a huge fan of either player. Gagner is heading to a friendler qualcomp division/conference so he'll be helped out. And Edm gets marginally tougher. Meh.

[[Rumor] Ryan Miller to Vancouver Thread]

Seriously going to greet this guy with a pitchfork.

[BUF initiate compliance buy out on Ehrhoff]

What I want to know is the following. It truly looks like Buffalo is intentionally stripping talent from their team in an attempt to be a bad team for the upcoming Mac David draft.

Even if this is not the case it looks like they're doing less than their best to put a competitive product on the ice.

At what point does the league step in and ask the Sabres wtf they're doing?

If they want the Nhl could simply rig it so they don't get their guy.

However, they'll get another pretty good guy regardless.

Phoenix buying out Ribeiro for no reason at all is also a concern. But the Nhl would gladly give them McD.

[BUF initiate compliance buy out on Ehrhoff]

Those who want him back should know that his play has dipped quite a bit since we've seen him.

And as a UFA, would he even want to come back? Detroit looks more like a fit to me.

[[Trade] Polak to Leafs]

The trade made no sense for both teams. Polak's a physical beast and is better suited for the west. And TO really needed to just add Polak, not ship out Gunnar at the same time.

Whatever.

Oh yeah. Retained salary again. I swear they do that just for laughs.

And a 3rd rounder? Good God.

One thing is that Gunnar... Isn't he Dion's regular partner? So are they forcing Dion to the left side?

[Nikita Tryamkin | D]

He's shockingly fast in that brief highlight vid.

And he came to the draft.

Bam! Goodbye llamas.

[Nikita Tryamkin | D]

Can somebody tell me how many llamas i have to sacrifice for this guy to become the next Chara? I have access to up to 15. (Used to be 30, but we had to land Virtanen somehow.)

Oh snap I guess I answered my own question.

Does anyone here like llama burgers?