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Phil_314

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Everything posted by Phil_314

  1. Still don't get why the Jets just unconditionally waived him, but congrats on the fresh start.
  2. That's optimally what he becomes. However, since he's a 6'8" giraffe of a man, I hope he'll be able to find the balance between being an aggressive hitter with a reputation for high hits (e.g. avoid hits like that on Armia) and also avoid being the passive lanky reacher/ stick checker who doesn't lay the body. To that end he'll need to fill out his frame so he can hit with his body and not reach with his limbs.
  3. Good scoring depth, but I gotta wonder if this somehow reflects on the likes of MacEwen and, to lesser extents, Lockwood. Of course getting a vet to be competent down to the 4th line is good, but with the injury I would've thought Big Mac gets a shot. Now instead he might be pushed out of the starting lineup again and not have the opportunity to prove himself.
  4. Makes sense, and aren't most of them named based on their chemical compounds? Can imagine why there wouldn't be too many combinations available, and why there's potential for similar looking names.
  5. It's an interesting proposal, OP. Return-wise, Pelech would be great as a defensive stopper, and if we paired him with say Myers and let Tyler roam a bit more, we could have a pretty solid blue-line (e.g. Pelech - Myers, OEL - Hamonic, Rathbone - Poolman). I'm just not sure that I see the Isles taking on a smallish defender when their team is so built on stifling team defense, but if Lamoriello takes it, then sign me up too.
  6. Besides the all-stars (Hischier, Heiskanen, Makar, Pettersson), even the likes of Suzuki, Norris, Mittlestadt, Vilardi and Chytil should readily go before him in a re-draft, especially for teams needing centers. Best of luck to his career but tough to tell if he'll become much of anything at this point.
  7. Okay I'll bite. Best defenseman - Quinn Hughes (tough to not name him; with the improve depth of defensive D-men and the quality of forwards, I think they can just have him focus on his strengths, as the guy who keys the transition from defense to offense, compared to last season when he was overworked at times and tried to do too much; with a solid defensive partner, along with OEL for secondary offensive duties and hopefully OJ taking tough matchup duty, and more capable forwards throughout the lineup, the chances for a positive impact should be greater than last season) HM: any of OEL/ Myers/ Hamonic (all 3 have potential if they can handle their role, and if they flourish in stabilizing their own end and also score some points, they could challenge Quinn for the title of best defenseman -- just like some had Schmidt last season as one of the best due to his all-around play after the rough start) Breakout candidate - Vasily Podkolzin (the tools are all there -- size/ strength, shot, passing, drive to the net, defensive awareness; I wouldn't be surprised if he does end up on PP2 and can be effective on there due to his versatility) HM: Jason Dickinson (after not having a 3rd line shutdown C for quite awhile, I think we'll appreciate as fans how much he can shoulder the brunt of the responsibility that was essentially miscast on Horvat -- if all goes well we could have a Malhotra (minus the faceoffs, for now) who also might have some offensive ability) Bounce-back candidate - Tucker Poolman (at least stats wise, unless he scores zero points, and unless both he and his LHD partner forget how to play defense and get cratered, Poolman can probably improve from his 1-point season, and if he keeps his game simple, there's no reason why he shouldn't or can't just let any of Hughes/ OEL/ Rathbone/ Juolevi move the puck up ice while just being the rock on the back end; the season before he had 16 points in 57 games so his offense isn't non-existent plus there has to be a reason why he's a 17-18 minute defender). HM: Hughes (we know the scoring's there, but he just needs to not turn the puck over so much, and with the talented offensive group, and Shaw's system, I think he can have better +/- and make fewer eye-popping defensive mistakes) Decline - Jaro Halak (with the pricey vets gone, I think he'd be a reasonable choice; most of the other players are on the upswing or prime of their careers, and while Hoglander may end up on 3rd line minutes, I think that's not a decline as much as a change in role e.g. focus on being more responsible and counter-punching which is important too) DM (Dishonorable mention): OEL (I think there's a risk that previous systematic issues on our blueline still remain, and I think OEL is primed to take on Edler's role as the tough minutes LD; if things go rough in his own zone he could look pretty bad)
  8. Well, in my case I'd mentioned OEL to shed his $7.2 million cap in exchange for Kane who'd be $3 million cheaper, and Ferraro who's already a big minute LHD but still on his ELC. If OEL remains a middling D-man, taking on a mercurial talent in Kane at a discount for the price of a top pair LD seems like a steal, since it'd rid us of our (currently) priciest contract. With Hughes and Rathbone for offense, getting a defensively capable guy like Ferraro to add to the likes of Hamonic/ Poolman/ Schenn/ Myers would help out the unit. With that it wouldn't involve trading the Sharks' 1st.
  9. In other news, Louie "Le Boulanger" Domingue is heavily rumored to be on his way to Ottawa, and Olli "Waffles" Jokinen is ready to join the party -- I mean, team.
  10. Lol when were 1st rounders ever mentioned in my comment? I said Kane and Ferraro for OEL. Unless you think that OEL - Burns, Vlasic - Karlsson is good enough to bring them back to the playoffs and out of the lottery??
  11. Edmonton, if they ever wise up and see that they need depth and get someone Fox + Strome (2nd line C) for Leon, could become deeper since they wouldn't leave a gaping hole at #2 C in something like this. I think the Rangers themselves would improve, so I could see this as the foundation of a blockbuster but in all honesty NYR probably adds.
  12. If and only if OEL doesn't work out I'd consider something like this. Something like Kane at $4.2 million * 4 years (40% retained) AND Mario Ferraro (their top pair LD, still on ELC) for OEL with no retention. Even then, I'd still try to flip him at $4.2 million to somewhere else since I don't see the winger group here needing anymore help, and I'd only pull the trigger if we find a new home for Kane (not in Vancouver).
  13. Any of Horvat, Miller, Hoglander and Motte. I like the determination that each of them shows, along with tenacity and two-way play.
  14. Dang, what a good fit for a team built on team defense. They might not be able to overcome the Lightning yet, but they have a defense corp full of absolute giants (Chara, Pulock, Pelech, Dobson, Mayfield). Good luck to any forward trying to get by them (not to mention Nelson, Lee, the Identity Line, and the checking of guys like Pageau and Bailey).
  15. Either next to Bo or Miller he'll be solid (Hoglander, Boeser, Pearson and Podkolzin are all projected to be solid two-way wingers). If coach wants to keep Bo's line as a shutdown line, Pearson - Bo - Marner would be a very strong trio (solid defensively like Loui, but with offense). That being said, as you say, Marner with Miller would help cover any defensive miscues and they can feed off each other. At that retention he'd be one of the few that I'd be down to trade Petey for.
  16. Never knew filler words were such a pet peeve of mine...

    1. JM_
    2. Phil_314

      Phil_314

      @JM_ if I had a nickel for every time I heard that in my meeting this morning (from the same person no less), I'd um, at least, um, have, uh, a dollar.

    3. -DLC-

      -DLC-

      Listening to Wally Buono's pressers used to be FILLED with them.  Like you know....

      Love Wally, but his pressers not so much.

  17. Hypothetical, if you guys were pro hockey players and got a Coyotes or Sabres PTO, would you take it, if your only other option was to potentially play overseas?

    (Reminds me of the narrative where guys on waivers had a fire lit under them, or the same from being the guys exposed in Expansion Drafts e.g. Vegas' original guys rallied around that, but I'd think that it'd be borderline insulting to get that from a tire fire team, and moreso if I got waived).  Curious to hear your thoughts.

    1. Show previous comments  1 more
    2. King Heffy

      King Heffy

      Depends how much the overseas offer was for, and what my family wanted.

    3. Ghostsof1915

      Ghostsof1915

      Rather play in Switzerland, unless my agent told me they are not interested. 

    4. King Heffy

      King Heffy

      If we're picking countries, give me the Czech Republic or Germany for the beer.

  18. Doesn't help his case that his production fell off a cliff (he had 12 PPGs the season before, to just 1 last year, and his scoring fell by half). Good luck to them but I can't see either sticking (Sanford, Perron, Saad, Buchnevich, Kyrou and Kostin are a solid group of top-9 wingers), maybe they'll sign in ARI or BUF.
  19. Hughes gets my vote also. Given how our roster is currently built, Petey's departure would be missed just a hair less (still would miss his impact but we don't really have anyone with that offensive ceiling from the back end). Hoglander - Miller - Boeser Pearson - Bo - Garland Motte - Dickinson - Podkolzin Highmore - Sutter - MacEwen OEL - Poolman (hopefully big minute D-pair) Hughes - Hamonic (face secondary competition so Hughes can make a maximal offensive impact) Rathbone/ OJ - Myers
  20. Thanks for contributing this to the discussion, never saw them play as a unit but that's some slick passing. Given the makeup and talent of the forward group I think that style should be shelved for awhile, at least for the top 9 (the 4th line has the type of muckers e.g. Sutter, Highmore, MacEwen) for whom it could work, but Motte could be a one-man breakout and controlled entry. It also made sense for the bottom-6 given the cast of players we were running out there (Roussel, Sutter, Beagle, and the aforementioned energy guys). In the top-9 though, no way we don't focus on carrying the puck. Bo, Miller and Podkolzin are beasts in that regard, while Petey/ Garland/ Hoglander can finesse their way in (and Boeser's good at joining the rush to get the puck before making the correct passes; Pearson is also versatile and can join the offense, while I won't comment on Dickinson as I haven't seen him much). Then again the team has plays like the last goal in its playbook: https://www.nhl.com/news/vancouver-canucks-st-louis-blues-game-1-recap/c-318383274 Also tic-tac-toe bang-bang plays seem to be regular methods of attack While both goals are on the PP, I'd be surprised if they don't adopt some of those to even strength.
  21. I think play-style wise we could have a less greasy version of Lehkonen, or a (hopefully not too) poor man's version of Landeskog or Rantanen. He's got the reach to sift through defenders at least at the KHL level and the strength that Gabe has and Rantanen's skill.
  22. It might be recency bias but I think J.T. Miller would be Kesler's closest competition. Admittedly Kes was impressive as a shutdown C but one could argue that for a center you'd want someone who utilizes and connects with his wingers better, and Miller would be that guy (plus J.T. can be a #1 LW or #1 C, as well as play-maker or take-charge scorer). From an individual player standpoint Kes is still ahead, but if we were picking a guy to build a team around I might actually lean towards J.T. for the reasons listed above (of course he's not perfect and he had some defensive lapses but no one's perfect, and for team construction I'd prefer what he brings).
  23. I pick Hank (I know Petey will probably surpass him when it comes to points/ game and maybe points when all is said and done) but Hank has proved he's not just a playmaker but can score on his own also, though his passing definitely makes those around him better (whether or not they're named Daniel). Petey's got the talent and edge to do well in the playoffs but Hank isn't soft either, so I'll pick him to lead the troops as an all-round #1 C who helps those around him.
  24. Don't really see this happening, Toronto seems to want to hold onto him (at least they'll say that) and as a supposed contender they'll want a replacement who can provide what he does, instead of a future, plus a depth guy. Vancouver might go for it, though we're really stacked on the wings and adding a 2nd on top of Big Mac for someone who might not figure prominently in our top 9 (due to Miller - Hoglander - Pearson as the incumbents) seems a bit much.
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