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HockeyScotty

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Forum: NHL TradesMar. 8 at 8:57 a.m.
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>F50marco</b></div><div>Man, this one surprised me. Not what I was expecting at all. I think this trade didn't need to happen. Mittlestadt doesn't seem like the player COL should have been after (Im assuming he's gonna want to get paid on his next contract here) and Buffalo probably didn't need to go get another young dman whose got some risk with injuries.

Listen, both teams got good players but I feel like they both could have waited. This was NOT a TDL type move. This should have been a draft move if anything.</div></div>

The Avs are in cup contention this year and desperately needed a capable 2C and they would prefer that position to be an asset they had multiple years of control over. Anyone else available that we were interested in would have been too high of a cap hit this year, a 1-year rental, or cost too much to acquire; or didn't need a young LD prospect (Anaheim with Henrique possibly felt they had an abundance for example).

Morgan Frost might have been an option comparable to Casey but he is higher risk, not as good defensively, and probably has the same or lower ceiling. And we don't know what Philly was asking for in return; if they wanted Byram straight up then I'd rather have Mittelstadt.
Jack Roslovic had a higher cap hit, no term, and performed worse than Mittelstadt and has not proven to be a top 6 center in the league on a consistent basis. Laughton is in the same boat.
There wasn't much else in the market that came close to being a 2C candidate.

I disagree about Mittelstadt and his fit with the team. We have plenty of speed and defensively responsible wingers that can score and far too few center icemen that can produce secondary scoring opportunities after the MacKinnon line. Casey brings a slightly different game and is a "change-up" type of center.

Bo was a "luxury" for us with Toews signed long term; Girard playing better and signed long-term and Bo not really adapting to the right side he wasn't going to supplant Josh Manson.

Our next 2C option was either 2 years away (Cal Ritchie) at best or someone we would have to acquire in the off-season, wasting great seasons from MacKinnon and Makar; a cheap and effective Drouin; not having Landeskog's cap hit due to LTIR (which complicates next season if he is healthy). We are all in for this season.

They will look to extend Mittelstadt in the $4.5-5.5 range to term. Walker and Drouin are questionable depending upon Landeskog being back or not, but those are our "rentals" along with Trenin and possibly Duhaime.
Forum: Other LeaguesMar. 8 at 8:31 a.m.
Interesting article on the Carolina Hurricanes AHL situation:

<a href="https://insideahlhockey.com/article/32-ahl-thoughts-where-do-we-go-from-here" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Details On Carolina's Attempt To Purchase AHL Expansion Franchise, AHL 'State of the League' Updates From President/CEO Scott Howson &amp; More</a>
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t"><em>Quoting: <b>Elliotte</b></em></div><div><em>The Hurricanes attempted to buy their way in to the AHL over the summer, reportedly offering between $6 and $7 million to purchase an AHL expansion franchise - with the roughly $6.5 million offer unable to sway the league's Board of Governors into thinking about expanding past the 32 teams to give Carolina a 33rd AHL franchise.

One source suggested current valuations of an AHL franchise to be closer to the $16-17 million range, with the expectation that by the time the NHL expansion occurs that a 33rd - and even 34th - AHL expansion franchise could have AHL expansion fees approaching $20 million.

... I'd keep an eye on Baltimore.

... For now, that's a moot point - according to AHL President/CEO Scott Howson. "There is no plan right now to go past 32 teams,"</em></div></div>
Doesn't sound promising for Carolina, but the powers that be want a reunion:

So where do the Chicago Wolves and Carolina Hurricanes stand right now?

<em>"...there's a lot of people working on this - including at the AHL level and at the NHL level - trying to find a solution to this problem, because, quite frankly, it's not sustainable. It's not sustainable for either league. It's not sustainable for the Chicago Wolves and it certainly isn't sustainable for the Carolina Hurricanes." - AHL President/CEO Scott Howson

"Everyone is trying to find a way for [Carolina and Chicago] to be affiliated. Not looking good now. Tomorrow might be different," one trusted AHL source told InsideAHLHockey.com back in February.
</em>
Forum: NHLMar. 7 at 10:32 p.m.
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>yikes</b></div><div>I think Grier has done a fantastic job with the Duclair trade.

1) basically two thirds (equal to Tarasenko) - a good RD prospect for SJ which needs RD; and he’s 21 so he’ll have a lot of time to grow in SJ and the best pick they could get from Tampa realistically.

2) Duke has consistently voiced interest in SJ and while their being no deal on the table (obviously) he said in the last 24hrs he would return to SJS in the offseason is they would have him and if there was no deal out there for him.

3) ..I actually don’t think Duclair will stay in Tampa so it would come down to a new front runner to give Duclair a UFA deal.

4) And Grier has voiced recently not waning long term expensive UFA’s which means: IF DUKE was to resign in SJ

- Duke will return to a deal that’s probably 2-4 years
- At an AAV of probably 4.5-3.75m

So if the stars align for a Duclair in Teal - we could see Thompson, a 3rd for Duclair to return at a 4 years - 4mAAV deal.

Which would make an already great deal by Grier - even more incredible.</div></div>

I know things look bleak in SJ right now; but I really like all the young additions to their blueline pipeline. Really have turned that around in a short time.

LD
Mario Ferraro 25 yo
Henry Thrun 22 yo
Nikita Okhotiuk 23 yo
Shakir Mukhamadullin 22 yo
Luca Cagnoni 19 yo
Nikolai Knyzhov 25 yo

RD
Ty Emberson 23 yo
Calen Addison 23 yo
Jack Thompson 21 yo
Mattias Hävelid 20 yo

I think they will have a very solid pro blueline in 2-3 years after they go thru the growing pains/development/competition for those spots
Forum: NHLMar. 7 at 3:50 p.m.
Forum: NHL TradesMar. 7 at 9:11 a.m.
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>LuckyMoneyPuck</b></div><div>anyone who has ever played hockey at any organizational level can tell you playing your side matters. Everything I have stated above is true.
Most people who play their off hands don't even play a legit defensive position. They play center field.
They do this to make their passes shorter both receiving and sending, as it's hard to backhand pass all over the ice, especially across the whole blueline when defenders want to jump the pass.
Mark Streit is a perfect example of that. A lefty that played RD. But it was never really RD it was center field.
Center field sucks for the offense big time, as it cuts your ice in half.

So I don't really care what some TV host says. I can tell you from playing at an organizational level of hockey, it matters.
It's much harder to backhand things across the ice, or get a pass on the back of your stick. It also sucks playing with a straight as possible blade to decrease the bow on the outside of the stick.
Which is why almost every player you see today has a curve in their blade on any level of hockey.

You either have to switch your stick and grip, which means you're playing on your weak grip, or play with a stick facing the wall.
While people do that in organizations where they don't have the bodies to find people, in more complex levels of hockey they don't have that issue.</div></div>

Exactly this.

Talented players can get away with this at lower levels of hockey, but once they get to the NHL where every fraction of a second matters and every player is smart and fast; the additional movements to stop and turn and the limited peripheral vision makes a huge impact. It matters much more in the offensive zone than in the D-zone; but clearing pucks around the boards in the D-zone is much quicker on your forehand when you're getting forechecked.

In the NHL every single half-second is intensely fought for, every fractional advantage is taken and exploited (and vice-versa on disadvantages).

Forwards = no real impact, just depends on their role; sometimes off hand on the wing is big advantage for playmakers (Kucherov/Panarin) or one-timers (Ovechkin). Teams do prefer to have a mix of L/R faceoff guys.
Offensive Defenseman = major impact, but switching sides on the powerplay has the advantages that wingers get above. At 5-on-5 there isn't enough time/space to overcome the issues Lucky describes.
Defensive Defenseman = moderate impact
Forum: NHLMar. 6 at 6:33 p.m.
Forum: NHLMar. 6 at 6:14 p.m.
Forum: NHL TradesMar. 6 at 5:53 p.m.
Forum: NHLMar. 6 at 5:09 p.m.
<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>yikes</b></div><div>You can’t trade Power or Dahlin

Which leaves Samuelsson - who isn’t really a player you’re excited to trade.

You can get a fine deal on a great car that needs a little care (let’s say a Mercedes (Byram)),

but if you’ve got 3 mint condition cars (a Lambo, a Porsche, and Ferrari)… it can still be a “good deal” on paper that results in a unused and forgotten car, making it a unnecessary deal and potentially a unwise investment.</div></div>

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>Pompadour_de_Armstrong</b></div><div>I don't think they were targeting Byram or a D, but I think they were ready to move on from Mittelstad and that was the best offer. Byram has untapped potential, and I think they "won" regardless of the depth chart. But health and consistency are still big question marks. They can always balance the roster with another trade later if they need to.</div></div>

<div class="quote"><div class="quote_t">Quoting: <b>aadoyle</b></div><div>Idk TBL did well with 3 strong LD remember Sergechev used to be behind Hedman and McDonagh

Byram can be eased back on the third pair and u can even out the ice more

Dahlin-Samuelsson
Power-Jokiharju
Byram-Clifton
EJ</div></div>

The Avs had been playing Bo a lot at RHD to start the season and there were some growing pains; it did settle down but it wasn't the best Bo we had. He stated that it took him awhile to get comfortable there but we ended up moving him back to 3rd pair LD for the rest of the season to date. He also has to find a "perfect partner" that will mesh with his playing style otherwise it doesn't work. Eric Johnson was the most successful partner he had and now they are both in Buffalo so hopefully that will help out.

What is in the water by Lake Superior that teams think lefty/righty on defense doesn't matter. 3 of the only teams in the league that have no balance are Buffalo, Toronto, and Ottawa?