TropicalFruitGirl26

Draft time in about 22 minutes guys! @pilldoc @ruxpin @J0e Th0rnton @Bakanekimiwa @FD19372 @yave1964 @hf101 The other managers, not sure if they are members of this site, maybe someone can send them a reminder?

From NBC Sports: https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/09/30/ho-sang-desmith-sprong-headline-waiver-wire/ Due to cap crunches or uncertainty with some teams on how players will fit into their lineups, some surprising names have shown up as being placed on waivers by their respective teams. Heading the list, at least for me, is Pittsburgh's Casey DeSmith. Here is a guy who has been an excellent backup netminder, and at times has taken the reigns for short periods, is on a team friendly 1.25M AAV deal for the next three years, is still under 30 years of age....and because the Pens find themselves in a cap pinch, they are forced to go with Murray/Jarry as their goalie tandem. Wow. Last season, I was hoping that somehow, some way, the Minnesota Wild could snatch DeSmith away from the Pens and have him either backup Devan Dubnyk or split time with him in the crease and they could do away with Alex Stalock. The Pens quickly signed DeSmith before it got to the point where another team could sign him, but now, they may not be able to keep him unless they move another contract elsewhere on the roster. Wild still have 3 contract spots available (47/50 according to capfriendly), and if they need to bury Stalock in order to get DeSmith, I'd be on board with that. Some other names the article highlights are Josh Ho-Sang of the Islanders and Daniel Sprong of the Ducks. Both these players have yet to realize the kind of potential that had been expected of them, but both are also just 23 and 22 years old respectively and have to believe that some team somewhere, can help unlock their talents on the ice. Veteran guys whose names jumped out at me are: Luke Schenn (D-TB Lightning)...tough rugged and a LOT better than most remember him playing in Philadelphia and earlier on in Arizona. The Bolts do seem to be quite deep, so I can see why he may be the odd man out, but a young veteran guy (30 yrs old) who has shown improvement in his overall play on a very friendly team deal ($700k for just one year) should look attractive to a team in need of a solid bottom pair defenseman. Sven Baertschi (LW-Vancouver)…. An average playing type winger (soon to be 27), but who seems to be able to chip in points, decent skater. If only he had a clear cut, defined role on a deeper team (probably a two way type player on someone's third line), he may do better than trying to be a Boeser, Horvat, Pettersson caliber type player on the Canucks (which he is NOT). His 3.36M AAV hit may be a bit high for what he brings, but still, if a team can absorb that, and tell him, "look, THIS is what we want you to do, nothing more, nothing less", I think he may be a nice surprise. Guy just seems to be able to do a bit of everything, even though none of it is elite, including maintaining possession of the puck as he doesn't often turn it over. Curtis Lazar (F-Buffalo)…. Can ANYONE find the player that did real well playing for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings before he came to the NHL? He is still just 24, has a decent mid sized frame, but has mostly been stuck on rebuilding teams...but when he was on Ottawa before they went completely south, he started to show signs of coming around to NHL level acceptability. Perhaps on a more established team, away from the spotlight, he can quietly go about piecing his game back together, and even if he never becomes an elite talent in the NHL, might still be able to be solid, regular contributor. Just a 700K cap hit, and he will be an RFA after this season. Might be worth a look for a non rebuilding team. Any thoughts on any other players on this list?

Very interesting stuff. Unfortunately, for me at least, they are the Sabres. They have shown "promise" in many areas in recent seasons (and have improved) but the end result still hasn't been what everyone was expecting. I know, I know...they seem to be the focus of much doubt, but with good reason. And I also know that they will likely continue to be just that....until they actually prove, on the ice, that they should no longer be labeled as also-rans. A new approach to the PP, is, of course, a good thing, seeing as how they were middle of the pack last season, so anything that may improve upon that should be welcome. That goes without saying and can really be applied to a number of teams. Like all things, it will come down to execution...and execution during the regular season will be tougher than in the pre-season. So time will tell over the course of a grueling season whether the players can make this work, have the IQ to compensate when things don't go exactly as planned, and whether they will all "buy in" to the new approach, stick with it, and perfect it. If they can do that, then they certainly have the potential for a top 5 or so PP. But since they ARE the Sabres, no one will believe in them till they actually get it done.

Found this from about two days ago. Written by what looks like a parody/satire site and the writer is a Chicago sports fan. It takes shots at the Lightning, mostly due to the fact the Bolts always seem to get players to sign all these team friendly deals. I was ready to start roasting the guy, but the more I read it, the more it was obvious to me it was all in good fun. In that regard, I found this to be pretty funny actually and I thought I would share here. Reminds me of that one website that posts absurd, funny stuff, The Onion. Anyways, here is the link to The Barstool (WARNING: author uses LOTS of swear words...especially the F word, so read at your own virgin eyes' risk ) https://www.barstoolsports.com/chicago/i-want-the-nhl-to-investigate-the-tampa-bay-lightning-because-theyre-definitely-paying-players-under-the-table#scrollToComments That blasted Jeff Vinik….. He should probably go to prison!!

This should be very, VERY good news to goalie starved Long Island. Semyon Varlamov should provide some very good short term goaltending, but remembering that he tends to need stretches on IR (almost on the regular, season in, season out), the Islanders really could use a star type goalie for the long term. Still hasn't hit his "goalie prime", and yea, the KHL is not exactly the NHL, but one can't deny these fantastic numbers. Bodes well for the Isles.

Let me guess...because they whiffed on Justin Faulk?

We have! He took a 'sweetheart' 6.75 AAV deal.

And I am not sure why Canes fans would care what a Wings/Jackets fan thinks about all this... I suppose you are going to tell me next you are a fan of HOCKEY...

I agree with @ruxpin here. While Faulk obviously is the better offensive player, his defense DOES leave a lot to be desired, and I think, if you look at the Canes' defensive corps as a whole with Edmundson now in it, they have a nice balance of attack and defend. Guys like Edmundson may not be as common as they used to be, but I think a championship caliber team STILL needs a good stay at home guy who is actually GOOD at it (like Edmundson), and not be a liability at the blue line (which Faulk was). If Carolina had zero for offense from the blue line, I'd say this was a very questionable deal....but they have Hamilton, Gardiner, and Slavin. That should take care of their attack needs from the defense. Edmundson, Pesce, and van Riemsdyk can take care of the shut down duties. Pesce and Hamilton, in fact, are nice two way options as well. Couple that with the all out attack and raining shots on goal that Carolina forwards have a knack for, and I think getting Edmundson is a nice "balance" trade. The pick COULD have, as Rux said, been higher...maybe a 3rd or so. The Blues? Well, they play a pretty solid brand of defense already, so they could spare not having Edmundson, and in gaining Faulk, even though his defense is questionable at best, I think they could live with it if he can bring his offense and shot blocking to the table for them. Faulk actually rates pretty high in the hits department, but unlike Edmundson, it is usually because he screws up coverage and then has to scramble to "chase the play" and hit whatever he can to try and make up for it.

FINALLY.... the Point has been made... Brayden signs a 3 yr/ 6.75 AAV "bridge deal" (that's a hell of a bridge though!) to remain with the Tampa Bay Lightning From NHL.com https://www.nhl.com/lightning/news/tampa-bay-lightning-re-sign-forward-brayden-point-to-three-year-contract/c-309399624 Of course, all is not good news.... Point is still recovering from hip surgery he had in the Spring, and so won't actually be ready for game action till late October the team is speculating. Not a huge deal, IMO, seeing as how the schedule is rather sparse to start October (and I wonder if the Bolts knew this all along and why they waited till the very last possible time frame to finalize and publish this news)….however, not having training camp, then starting his season right when most players have started to shake off Summer rust, well, THAT could be problematic. Wouldn't be surprised if he starts off slowly. Fortunately, he is too good to stay "slow" for very long AND the Bolts are still quite deep...they can hide his early season deficiencies pretty well (I can see Cirelli being moved up to 2C , or Tyler Johnson moved back to C if need be), while Point sorts himself out.

Wishing him well in his post playing career as well. All the points you made about him, @yave1964, were right on, but I think what ultimately got him to the point where teams no longer felt the need to keep him (including TB who opted to re-sign Coburn instead), is his skating. The man IS smart...not was..IS…. he knows all the nuances of playing defense and seemingly has a sharp mind for the game, but watching him in his remaining days in NY and then even playing sheltered rotated minutes in TB, it was pretty clear he had lost more than a step or two along the way. This post isn't meant to bag on him, but rather to point out the simple fact that his skating speed and explosiveness were just no longer up to NHL standards. He'd probably make a great coach at some level given his keen mind for the game, the position he played, his workmanlike attitude, and understanding "big moments' on the ice, as he was part of many in his career.

Easy answer would be to NOT hang onto him as a keeper...but you know, as soon as you drop him back to the draft pool, someone will pick him up faster than you can say "Fenton traded Nino and Granlund one for one for garbage returns", and even if he starts out slowly (either with the Lightning or *gasp* someone else he is traded to because his agent and the club can't come to a deal), he will do well, and you will kick yourself later. Bottom line...keep him. I would. Even if I weren't a "homer" here. I'd do the same if it were Marner, Boeser, or any of those other high ceiling guys who held out.

Seriously. Us regular little people living off normal salaries can't POSSIBLY fathom the HELL that is living with a paltry $900K annual salary

**Update...errrr, sort of... ** Found this from thehockeynews: https://thehockeynews.com/news/article/lightning-and-their-star-are-not-close-to-contract-but-all-signs-point-to-a-bridge-deal Apparently, the Bolts and Point are hung up on whether to go bridge or full on deal. Point's agent indicates the two sides are still not close, but dialogue continues to go on. To be honest, I thought Point would sign before guys like Marner, McAvoy, Boeser, etc...given that all the talk about him turning down offer sheets and wanting to stay on with the Lightning was pretty prevalent in the hockey media. Not sure which side could be labeled as "unreasonable" here (if there is such a thing in this particular case), but if the Lightning are offering Brayden Point a bridge deal (the article seems to think it is in the 5.7M range AAV for three years), it wouldn't be out of character for them to do so, seeing as how guys like Stamkos, Kucherov, Johnson, Palat, and Vasilevskiy ALL took similar short term deals before ultimately getting the big paycheck. Tampa Bay GM Julien Brisbois says its about managing the cap while trying to stay fair, and should Point take the three year bridge, more cap will open up for a bigger payday after some other salaries come off the books. Point, meanwhile, is understandably trying to get the best possible deal for himself, as NOTHING in life is guaranteed. I mean, he could take a bridge deal, get seriously injured during that time, and never see the light of day on a full, market value contract on his services. Still though, I hope these guys can reach some sort of compromise. Point simply cannot lose anymore time NOT being on the ice. Ultimately it hurts him more than it does the club. I think the bridge deal is a good way to go for both sides...maybe Brisbois can up the AAV just a bit (maybe an even 6M AAV?), giving Point an extra 900K while he plays on for his huge payday...and let's face it, 5.5M-6M annually is NOTHING to sneeze at...especially considering that Point was living off an actual salary of less than 1M annually since he started playing for the big club. Get something done already guys!

Well, to be honest, I thought the Hawks were a bit idiotic to trade away Saad in the first place. Hopefully, Flyers fans won't have to see that sort of short sightedness with regards to Konecny. Team seems to be trending upward, he is a young player who hasn't seen his ceiling yet, Philly should just now stick with him for the duration...……..UNLESS, they'd like to trade him to the Wild for Kevin Fiala…

Fantastic. So...I suppose NOW you are gonna tell me that just because I am a Vezinette quality goalie in street ball hockey, that I really can't play for my national women's hockey team??? Pffft…..

KONECNY IS SUK!! (And I only say that because this signing just means he won't be a member of the Bolts or Wild anytime soon) With all the crazy rates for players going around these days, $5.5M for a 22 yr old with very good upside seems like a bargain. Travis has improved every year in every league he has been in (and yes, I am counting the OHL), has done so in the NHL, and has even shown a streak of consistency having his last two seasons in the NHL be almost identical production-wise: 47 and 49 points respectively. Obviously, The Fly would like to see maybe 60-65 pts out of this guy (and they may get it), but if he puts up, say another 49 pt season with a bit better defensive play to go along with it, I'd say that would be a successful season as well. Easily one of my favorite players from another team....good ol Travis Connect-Me.

There's a reason guys like Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara, and before them, Henrik Zetterberg, Matt Cullen, Chris Kunitz, and Chris Chelios can continue to play well past the traditional 'expiry dates': Because they keep themselves in fantastic condition and, equally important, they have the heart, drive, and desire to continue to compete at a high level even as their skills diminish.....and compete pretty well at that high level too. Joe Thornton will retire one of two ways: Either injuries will slow him to the point where he simply can't go on the ice anymore (like a Ryan Callahan, David Clarkson, or Nathan Horton)... Or he will just decide he and his body have had enough and leave on their own terms, like Zetter, Chelios, Cullen, etc did. I don't think Thornton is the type of player who will be forced out of the league because "he can't play well anymore". As long as he is physically able and has the drive, he can and will, contribute. Nice luxury for the San Jose Sharks to have.

According to capfriendly, he has a NMC for the first 4 years of the deal, then a modified NTC for the remaining three. https://www.capfriendly.com/players/jared-spurgeon

That's the thing with Barry Trotz teams.... they ALWAYS play more than the sum of their parts. We've seen that when he was in Nashville, we saw that last year when everyone thought the Isles would struggle without John Tavares. Say the Islanders 'play over their heads' and the ol 'on paper X team is better'....and you wouldn't be wrong...but the bottom line is, Trotz gets lots of mileage out of whatever he is handed, and as long as the team buys in, I see no reason why still can't continue to be a threat to finish top 3 in the division.

Well, he is locked in....so he can continue to be one of your favorites...

As expected high dollars...smart long term (personally, I think he is a better overall player than even Matthews or Tavares, and that will show itself in the long term)…. This of course, further tightens the screws on a Leafs team that is truly cap strapped, however, if the guys they have are truly "the right guys", that point will be moot and the team can just shuffle in and out support players as needed. With Marner now in the fold, looks like the Leafs forward ranks are locked in.....but of course, next season, they have interesting decisions to make (whether by choice, or forced by the above mentioned cap crunch) on defense as they will have several impending UFA's to look over. From a competitor's standpoint, I am disappointed to see Marner keep the Leafs' forwards strong....but looking at it from the Maple Leaf fanbase perspective, sigh of relief, your guy is back where he belongs and can now focus, along with his linemates, on HOCKEY.... and trying to keep up with the Lightning in the division!

Glad to have him extended. A bit of an overpay in in money and term, but he otherwise walks. And as someone pointed out in the Spurgeon signing thread, Fenton dropped the ball on this (I know, shocker, right?), by not getting something done sooner. Meanwhile other d-men get big contracts, so naturally, Spurge, who is still a fair bit better than some of those guys and established as well, is going to want his big coin. At any rate, the Wild will keep a good skating, smart, offensive/defensive blue liner for the next several years. Hopefully, the team will still get his very best years for at least most of the contract.....then settle up with the Devil at contract's end...

Yes, sadly, while Fenton was busy trying to see how he could fit ex-Predators into the lineup, the time to extend Spurgeon SOONER came and went.....and yea, maybe the Wild could have signed him for a bit less if they had just gotten around to doing it well before other defensemen got fat contracts. I suppose family planning to Disneyland or trips to Cabo take up lots of time though......something "minor" like locking in Spurgeon before prices got out of hand could have easily slipped through the cracks....