Atlantic Division

I have to believe that the upgrade in bottom six we should see this year will make up for drop-off in either G or V.  On paper, this will be a much tougher team to defend. By the way, you might...and I say might, see some drop-off with JVR, not because of skill or age, but rather, new personnel.  By Turkey Day that will be straightened out. We might get that in other ways as well.  But all in, we should not be as first line-dependent as recent years.  If we are, something is wrong.    

Me too👍.

Rotty, I agree with you about just about every player, except may be Zucker and Staal during the regular season (both showed an improving outstanding production for 2 seasons in a row), but in playoffs 100% agree with your post on August 9 regarding the whole team.   Hope, Zucker will reach 40 goals this season and will start to produce in playoffs as well as Staal and other members of the big club. It is a time to change their mentality towards their permanent playoffs production. That is a tough task but possible. An example was our single playoffs 3rd game against of tough Jets this year when we won with a score 6:2 despite of their bull helper Byfuglien. To have some bulls in the team is a good thing but consistent multiple productive players are more important in all 4 lines as well as among defensemen too. In interview this year, Kaprizov said during Gagarin Cup finals against AkBars that it is a team’s play, which CSKA (Moscow Red Army Club) lost it in 5 games . Partially agree with that, but plus to that we still need a consistent mental catalyst for the better production. Usually, coach is not good for that role because he has too many emotions and too many doubts regarding all players during any game. Maybe someone out of our new youngsters will be a good one (even better to have 2 or 3). Time will show if we have one. So far no yet. Or maybe the big trio (K-P-S) itself will improve their mentality too to boost the team that we badly need a better SCORING especially during playoffs? I am really skeptical if we have one out of our new free agent signings this year. But who knows?   I am very excited, even getting more interest to our Iowa Wild team this year to see what kind of future we have for the big club with their renewed roster. Old veterans some day will go, but the future is always more intriguing than reality, which is normal.

To add to your comment I'd like to say that I'm not sure why any GM would want to be in that situation, either. Not to point any fingers.

Aug 18: BISONS ADD D-MAN FROM NIPAWIN     The Bisons are going to play their first exhibition game of the season in just three days. However, since school doesn't even start until they return from the overseas tour. So there is no roster page, nor an official team announcement of recruits. But other sources confirm one more blueliner.   Carter Doerksen - Nipawin Hawks (SJHL) - D Whenever a Saskatchewanite moves to Manitoba the average IQ of both places decreases. Hopefully this young man's desire to improve his life by leaving behind moonshine, banjo music, and possum shanks in order to have electricity, indoor plumbing, and footwear in summer will show that he is ready for this step up the evolutionary ladder. If he marries a local girl who can civilize him we may see a young man really turn his life around.   Doerksen was the captain of the Hawks, winners of the SJHL championship. He does not run up the offensive numbers, which suits me just fine. The Bisons need good-in-their-own end defencemen, and hopefully he fits the bill. He is smaller than the typical Bison recruit, at 5'10" and 187 lbs. He is the second Bison recruit from Nipawain, joining Thomas Lenchyshyn, a LW/D.   Here's what the SJHL story says:   The Hawks are sending quite a few players to other teams in USports, plus one to the BCIHL and two to the NCAA:
- Brandan Arnold - to Mount Royal
- Brett Harasymuk - to UOIT
- Michael Grant - to Lethbridge
- Tyler Adams - to Regina
- Josh McDougall to Mercyhurst
- Logan Casavant - to Trinity Western
- Grant Baetsen - to Adrian College   That's a lot of grads to move in one season.   Links:
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► [ Hidden Content Give reaction or reply to this topic to see the hidden content. ] : [ Hidden Content Give reaction or reply to this topic to see the hidden content. ]     The Banjo Mutts became the last CW to release their exhibition schedule. Their games are: Sep 14 Saskatchewan at Regina
Sep 15 Manitoba v Saskatchewan (in Regina)
Sep 22 Calgary at Saskatchewan
Sep 23 York at Saskatchewan   They will not leave the province of Saskatchewan. The few players who like toilet paper will have to wait for a road trip where they can stock up.   All teams have now released schedules, although some alterations will no doubt be made. Here's what I suspect:   - The Evil Monkeys have not announced anything for Sep 21-23, but they do appear on the ACAC schedule with a game against NAIT on Sep 23 in the Athabasca Tournament. I suspect they will add a game against MacEwan on Sep 21.   - The Bedrock Dinos claim they play the Bluegars on Sep 19, but the Bluegars say they are playing Minnesota State that same day. I find it odd that an NCAA team would be allowed to play that day. So my guess is that the MRU schedule will be altered so that the Minnesota State game goes to Oct 5 or 6.   - Manitoba's schedule does not list their opponents for the Regina tournament Sep 14-15. Since the Bisons face Sask on Sep 15, and since Regina plays Sask on Sep 14 and SAIT on Sep 15, my guess is that the Bisons will face the SAIT Condoms on Sep 14. Regina's trip to civilization will then consist of just the one game on Sep 22, due to the York tour.   - The York tour deserves a mention. It is not yet on their website. But from the CW teams we have this:
Sep 20 York v Regina (in Lumsden)
Sep 21 Calgary v York (in Humboldt)
Sep 23 York at Saskatchewan   Links:
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Pretty cool. I will get more involved once the season starts. Enjoy the game threads 

Judging by the return, they only got some Ice Age and mirage packs