Claude Giroux is one of the best players in the game today, there is no doubt about that. On the other hand, Jakub Voracek is still an under-the-radar type of guy to most teams and fans in the league. Together they have formed one of the leagues best duos. However, it has been a struggle to find a good winger that fit on the Philadelphia Flyers top line with them. Scott Hartnell got most of those minutes last season, but even he was juggled around a bit. After trading Hartnell the identity of
Welcome to the “5 things” series here at Two Pad Stack! As we head toward the twilight days of summer, each team has some unanswered questions that need addressing before the season gets started. Luckily for you, the staff here at 2PS will bring those questions to light. Today we take a look at last seasons Presidents Trophy winners, the Boston Bruins. 1. Can Loui Eriksson step up to the 1st line? Let's put it this way, Eriksson was brought in to be a top 4 forward on this Boston Bruins team. Du
Welcome to the “5 things” series here at Two Pad Stack! As we head toward the twilight days of summer, each team has some unanswered questions that need addressing before the season gets started. Luckily for you, the staff here at 2PS will bring those questions to light. Today, we take at the new and (sort of) improved Buffalo Sabres! 1. Will the Sabres be better in 2014/15? Yes and no. Will they improve on their NHL-worst 52 points and 157 goals for? It would be really, really difficult for the
Busy weekend and you couldn’t keep up with what the Pittsburgh Penguins were up to at the NHL draft? No problem. Here’s a breakdown of all the weekend’s important events, complete with some semi-arbitrary grading scale that I developed to save you some time on the details. The James Neal Trade: B- Make no mistake, the single most talented player to move in the deal is James Neal. He’s probably one of the top-10 pure snipers, and I would rank his release even higher: probably top-5 in the whole N
TSN’s Bob McKenzie posted a series of tweets regarding the Colorado Avalanche’s Ryan O’Reilly earlier today. The implication that O’Reilly could be taken to a third-party salary arbitrator caused a bit of a ruckus in the Avalanche social media world. The ruckus intensified when McKenzie confirmed the rumour shortly thereafter. Here’s the lot tweets in a more convenient format: Lots of talk within NHL circles that COL has or will file “club-elected salary arbitration” on Ryan O’Reilly. If so, it
It’s almost time for the NHL Draft which means it’s everyone’s favorite season: trade speculation season! Like the build-up to the trade deadline, the lead-up to the NHL Draft is full of what-if’s, maybe’s and how-about-this’.\ One name is brought up seemingly ad nausem: Nail Yakupov. The first overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft has become everyone’s favorite trade rumor over the last several months. He slumped his way to a mediocre sophomore year, dropping to 11 goals and 24 points, both less t
ith only a few weeks left before the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Edmonton Oilers GM Craig MacTavish is working against the clock to find a deal to move his first round pick. So when the Pittsburgh Penguins announced the hiring of GM Jim Rutherford, Oilers fans everywhere breathed a sigh of relief. The Oilers need a serious infusion of skill on defence to dig their way out of the bottom of the Western Conference and adding an established NHL quality defenceman is the fastest way to accomplish this. But
If you have ever cheered for or followed the Vancouver Canucks, you know that every single fan has an opinion on the direction of this team. Yes I know that this happens for almost every sporting team in existence.. but here in Vancouver, it is especially prominent. We are all #armchairgms and think we know what’s best for our boys in blue. On that note, let me explain what I would do if I were the GM of the Vancouver Canucks. (I can dream!) Before We Get Started.. The Canucks have already take
This phrase has been said a million times; not about the Kings but about the countless teams that don’t know they aren’t supposed to be good when they are shocking the world. The NHL sent out a memo TWICE to the LA Kings, pretty sure they didn’t check their inbox. Back in 2012, the Los Angeles Kings had 3 opportunities to not only make the playoffs but win the Pacific Division. They decided to blow 2 of them and their entire season came down to one game. Their record was inflated because of a sl
After five years of disappointing playoff failures, change has begun to come to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team has already parted ways with GM Ray Shero, known as much for his spectacular feats of trade as for his complete dismantling of the Penguins ability to build depth through the draft. Head Coach Dan Bylsma remains in limbo with the squad until a new GM is hired, and the GM will have the opportunity to retain or remove Bylsma and his staff. For an epic, and non-sensationalist read on th
2013-14 was a pretty good year for the Colorado Avalanche, all things considered. The team with the “Why not us?” mantra surprised the league by winning the Central Division and posting the third-best record in the entire league. Sure, the playoffs were a disappointment – they were upset in seven games by the Minnesota Wild – but overall, it was quite the accomplishment for a team that finished as the third-worst in the league the year before and new coach Patrick Roy seems to have something spe
Another year, another disappointing ending. Such is the life for the Pittsburgh Penguins these days. Every single year, the season begins with promise and Stanley Cup aspirations. And why wouldn’t they? After all, this is the team that houses stars like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal and Marc-Andre Fleury. A team built through the draft, the Pens are loaded with star power but every year is the year they’ve found the right complimentary pieces to make another Cup run. So as the Penguin
The Florida Panthers are on the clock. That much we know. Who they’ll take with the first overall selection is still the unknown part, to all of us and probably the Panthers themselves. After all, there are three legitimate contenders for that top overall pick. There’s Sam Reinhart, thought for a time to be the consensus top pick in the draft. The 6’1” playmaker has elite hockey IQ and is already a leader with his CHL team, the Kootenay Ice, and the Canada U18 team. What about Aaron Ekblad, the
There’s a term that gets thrown around in sports these days that has lost a bit of its meaning: franchise player. It’s overused and handed out more than it should be. Just what is a franchise player and who are the proud few in the NHL? What Defines A Franchise Player? Before we can figure out who the NHL’s franchise players are, we need to come to an understanding on just what a “Franchise” player is. To me, a franchise player encompasses the following: • A player a team can build around for at
You just got fired from your last NHL coaching job. You weren't a bad coach but let's face it, they fired you. Aside from the great severance package to "walk away", hanging at home with the wife going to IKEA to remodel the sewing room isn't the ideal way to contemplate the next move. Here is a fool proof way to get back in the game and apply for an NHL coaching job. You can thank me later Let's start with your objective; teams want to know what your goal is. Good objective - Create a positive
Did they Make The Playoffs? – If you do a Google search for “Buffalo Sabres embarrassing”, you’ll get more than a few hits. So that should tell you right there whether or not they made the playoffs. No, they did not make the playoffs and were, simply put, the worst team in the league by a mile and a half: the next closest team in the standings to Buffalo’s 52 points were the Florida Panthers, holders of the #1 overall pick in the 2014 Draft, with 66 points. Their 14 regulation + overtime wins we
Season Record 36-35-11 Did they Make The Playoffs? No What Went Right? While the Canucks have been the poster team for “how to nose dive into mediocrity” this season, there have been a few glimmers of hope. Firstly, Mike Santorelli and Eddie Lack have arisen as two bright spots in the Canucks future. Santorelli played the “Jack Of All Trades” role before going down with a season ending injury, and Lack stepped into the starting goaltender role (way before it was expected of him) and handled hims
Season Record 38-36-8 Did they make the playoffs?
What went right? <Drums fingers on desk> Well, OK. I suppose Phil Kessel didn't completely disgrace himself, falling two points shy of his record total for the Leafs. Considering the defensive game was an abject disgrace, Jonathan Bernier's 26-19 record and 2.68 GAA was, let's say, borderline professional. James Van Riemsdyk smashed his points total from last season and for the most part did things on his own with the top line; he and Kes
So said one of the most prominent philosophical thinkers of history. It’s a simple statement, the wisdom of which has resonated throughout the ages. With the focused reason of Confucius, let’s study the recent past of the Calgary Flames, in the hopes that we might divine theforeseeable future. Season Record: 35-40-7 – 77 points Division: 6th (of 7) Conference: 13th (of 14) League: 26th (of 30) Wild Card: 14 points back Setting the Stage The 2013 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 30, 2013
