TropicalFruitGirl26

Nick Ritchie to Boston makes the B's not only tougher to play against, but Ritchie, still a young guy, is a classic power forward, who for whatever reason, really hadn't found his stride with the Ducks. Maybe a cross country trade to Boston, a yearly contender and a team that knows how to develop big bodied players, will serve as a wake up call for him. Ritchie is already an excellent hitter, now he needs to show he can contribute on offense on a regular basis. He fits perfectly with Boston's style of play.

Hmmm....well, unless Botteril has some super secret master plan none of us are privy to, seems to me more like he is playing Naked Twister.....

Nice adds for them as well. I always felt, even when the Flames did really well a couple seasons ago, that they STILL were a bit soft defensively (as in allowing chances, not physically...they can still hit!), and these two adds may help in that area. Especially the underrated Derek Forbort. He is your classic, stay at home, big bodied, no frills defender whose main issue in the NHL seems to be staying healthy. Kings may also have mis-slotted him as they were always searching for offense from, well, ANYWHERE, and in Calgary, they have enough offense from both the forwards and defense, where he just needs to be a solid tower of power at the blue line, don't do stupid things, and not much else....that lone will help Calgary. Gustafsson can basically replace what Giordano was doing while he mends, and will double that once Gio gets back.

Was just thinking that... I really don't understand Simmonds to BUF....made it look like Buffalo hasn't given up on the season, but then they go and trade pretty good depth players. Botteril is either a cement head, or a damned brilliant strategist who plans 15 moves ahead of everyone else.....

So far, and understanding that there could be more to come, I like Deadline Day for both the Edmonton Oilers and Ottawa Senators. The Oilers have seemingly gone from a one line not consistently much else type team, to one that actually looks like could transform them a bit more to one where they can do a bit more of everything needed to really contend for the playoffs and play well once there. AA and Green added from Detroit seem brilliant. AA in particular, who showed bursts here and there playing on a low scoring Wings team, should really have no excuse playing on a team (and I understand, possible linemate of McD) that features three of the league's best offensive players. His numbers may take giant steps forward. Mike Green, smart veteran, not the most solid defensively, though he isn't terrible there, allows Edmonton to slot their other "D" a bit better and he can move the puck with the best of them. Green feeding dangerous Oilers' forward lines pucks (much like he was rumored to be able to do for TB a couple seasons ago when the Lightning were interested in him) should produce LOTS of scoring chances for EDM. The Yzerman-Holland connection continues............ As for the Senators, wow.... Sure, they aren't going anywhere (which is kinda the idea I suppose), but have you seen their draft board!? They have done a good job so far trading off players who simply were not going to be in their long term plans and converted them into tons of picks and prospects. Just looking at picks for his summer...they currently have THREE 1st rounders, FOUR 2nd rounders, TWO 3rd rounders....very, very nice for them. They still have a contract or two that are an albatross (Bobby Ryan for sure....Nikita Zaitsev possibly...I am just not sold on him) but overall, the Sens are doing exactly what they need to do to improve and have acquired more tools to do so.

Agree. And great for the Leafs' organization as well! It was, after all, THEIR minor league Zamboni driver that took center stage, beat them, and put Toronto in the history books! Win-win-win for everyone!!

Yea, seen that...and to think..I gave HJ all sorts of grief for Bogo's brain power on the ice...or lackthereof... lol

Either LOTS of floating...or LOTS of goals......no in-between most likely...

I bet his W-2's are gonna be a pain in the arse next season........ oh wait, he can afford to hire accountants for that...nevermind..

Really??? Well, crap...that kind of pep talk never helped Lehtonen or Niemi back in Dallas a few years ago... They let in 10 goals regularly and never settled down...

You say that now...but just wait till Ovie gets behind the wheel of the Zamboni.... He'll show you all!!

They are interviewing Lundqvist's accomplice.... errr, I mean, David Ayre right now on NBC....asking him "how he feels"

Gotta wonder if Lundqvist somehow ordered someone to have something done to both Carolina's goalies...

This situation actually may have fit quite well in your "This is getting embarrassing" thread, no? I remember some years ago the Minnesota Wild were forced to dress a retired minor league goalie (who ran some sort of equipment shop) due to an 'emergency'....thank goodness they didn't have to play him.....if they had been playing the LEAFS that day, perhaps.......but otherwise.... Sorry, Words...I hadda do it, poking fun at Toronto is too good to pass up......... I still like you personally though.. ...

https://www.nhl.com/news/washington-capitals-alex-ovechkin-700th-nhl-goal/c-314805220?tid=314679802 He has done it. Alex Ovechkin, albeit in a loss to the lowly NJ Devils, has scored his 700th career goal...he sits in 8th place all time in that department, and still has a shot at Mike Gartner who sits in 7th with 708. Very doable for Ovie to surpass Gartner this season, then, barring health issues, can take a shot at Esposito and Dionne next season. Seems like he has been around forever, but he just turned 34 this past September, keeps himself in great physical condition, still seems to have the drive to play hard and win, so he should have plenty in the tank for the foreseeable future. Love him or hate him, there is no denying his ability on the ice and what is looking more and more, like his placement among the game's best scorers for all time. I ask again though............Can he catch Wayne Gretzky??? We will see.... Congrats to Alex Ovechkin and Caps fans.

Well, Philadelphia at least not going into a shell. They are pushing the play and have had several scrambles around the Winnipeg net. Better than trying to sit back and "hang on" to their lead.

Patrik Laine makes things interesting with a PP goal. 3-2 Philly now.

Third period, puck dropped, Game ON! Flyers with pressure from the get go!

Coots, when asked why is it the Flyers are harder to play against at home, "I dunno...the home crowd, better match ups....we just try to make it hard for teams to play here" Hmmm....maybe take some of that thinking on the road? Play "pretend we are at home"? Fly fans DO travel well.............

Jets finally break through. That goal for Winnipeg was all about zone control.....Jets had it, Flyers couldn't get it that time. 3-1 Flyers...not crippling for Philadelphia, but they need to get back to dictating the pace if they want to maintain that lead.

Apparently, Lady Luck is also favoring Carter Hart as the Jets just rang their second post of the game. I have heard that hard work does yield lucky results too, so again, the Flyers are putting in the work this game.

Lots of lazy play by the Jets but credit Philadelphia for taking advantage of it all. 3-0 Fly now.

I think the Bolts overpaid just a bit for adding Coleman, but that seems to be the market for depth players these days... good picks and prospects. On the bright side, Coleman DOES make the Lightning that much tougher to play against, he does have another year beyond this one on his very team friendly 1.8M cap hit, and let's face it, the Lightning, right now, can simply AFFORD to give up picks and players because their current team has a few nice young players still, and their minor league system has a number of very NHL possible forwards....although I WAS looking forward to being able to say "the Bolts have a couple Feete in their lineup!" (Cal and Nolan Foote of course)... At any rate, I like the add of Coleman...he is one of those players I admired from afar when I watched a number of Devils games two seasons ago, and while I do think it was an overpay on the part of the Bolts, I also see how necessary this type of move is, especially if the Bolts, who now seem to have inherited the monkey on their backs that formerly plagued the likes of Washington and St. Louis, expect to really put it together and win it all............... and maybe try pulling a Chicago, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, or Detroit and win more than one Cup with this core. Looking forward to seeing Coleman play tonight against Arizona as I didn't get a chance to see his debut against Vegas a couple nights ago.

I honestly think a few teams would like to have Lundqvist, but he wants to start...AND he wants to play for a contender....who really fits t hat bill? He can certainly start in NJ, but they aren't going anywhere, same with Detroit, Buffalo, Los Angeles, and San Jose. Everyone else has a legit starter, or at the very least, a young goalie they are comfortable starting, so that just leaves one real possibility: Colorado, who seem to have lost Grubauer for an uspecified amount of time, and they are currently going with the lethal tandem of Francouz and Miska.... I am sure the Avs can move out a body to make room for King Henrik's 8.5M cap hit...OR, perhaps the Rangers would have to retain some salary in order for Colorado to be able to take him....the Avs currently have around 6M in cap space. Either way, I thought it was foolhardy for Lundqvist to want to stay in NY when ownership TOLD everyone they were doing a rebuild. I know he wanted to win there, but given his age, who the Rangers had in their system, and the timetable for a NYR turnaround, the writing HAD to be on the wall that he would be phased out sooner than later. Now finding him a home elsewhere may prove tricky, unless he is content with just being traded ANYWHERE he can play (a few non contenders mentioned), but to go somewhere to "win", tough sledding unless Colorado and NY can swing a deal.

He is listed as "buried" in the minors by Boston.... Perhaps the Ducks "unbury" his corpse?