RonJeremy

We have overachieved all year, it’s finally catching up to us.

That question has been answered Coots is shot and Atkinson is completely shot.

Because he reminds Torts a lot of his favorite player…Laughton.

He’s recovered , he just sucks defensively.

Poehling is a much better player, he’s good defensively, has good size and speed and has some untapped offensive skill. To me, he makes Laughton expendable.

The problem is all the defensemen we currently have are also complementary pieces, we do not have a legit #1 offensive dman and we don’t have a legit shutdown defender either . Adding more complementary guys isn’t the answer. For example the Rangers have a perfect duo , Fox is the two way guy with high end offensive skill and Trouba is the physical shutdown guy. That’s the way you build a top pair, one big shutdown guy with and offensive guy. Two small non physical guys like Drysdale and York are not ideal for a top pair. Our top two needs are a #1 center and a legit top pair on defense. Maybe York becomes a Desjardins type guy for us and Bonk looks to be very skilled but he’s not ready. We still need a stalwart defender with size and skill and some snarl also.

We definitely are going to have to draft a center, and in order not draft another Poehling or Laughton we can’t be picking 18-25. We are gonna have to trade up in the draft plain and simple, we are already loaded at right wing and Michkov is also a right wing, sooner or later a right wing has to go. So you have to deal from a position of strength to shore up a weakness. The only way we move into a high enough position to get a center is via a trade. Unless we move two 2024 first round picks and one of our 2025 picks to acquire a top 5 pick. The reason Poehling and Laughton are being used in their roles is not that they are Torts’ pets, it’s because other than Frost we have no skilled centers, Poehling is big with speed and Laughton is quick but neither are offensive dynamos. Coots is skating like Brad Marsh, he is out of gas and possibly washed up. We really have no other options at center right now.

We can sign all the dmen we want, we are going nowhere with Laughton or Poehling as the second line center. Frost is a second liner, we need a real first line center and then Poehling is perfect as third line center Laughton can be traded and Coots can be fourth or switch with Poehling depending if Coots bounces back next year. His days as a top two center are over.

You are right ,Ginning has been better defensivel. Attard takes a lot of chances in the offensive zone, I don’t think he has been burned in doing so but Torts probably prefers a defensive type.

That dman apple stroudle is really laying the lumber on our guys.

Well if that’s the case , then they deserve what they get and their careers are toast. I hadn’t heard those details.

20 year olds are not exactly the picture of maturity, have you ever seen what goes on at college parties and spring break. I’m not defending them if they are guilty but just being there doesn’t make you guilty. Time will tell.

I don’t know ,the NFL and NBA allow wife beaters and convicts second chances, I know the NHL is different, so some teams may want him. You know how it goes these days, people are all outraged and then it’s soon forgotten. The mayor of DC was caught on camera smoking crack with escorts, resigned and was re-elected . Maybe Hart plays overseas for a year and comes back. The Flyers would still own his rights for a trade, unless they outright release him. Plus , how many 18 yr olds have good judgment when drinking and at a party.

No, Montreal is smothering them and hitting everyone hard. It’s a tremendous checking effort by Montreal, we can’t get any sustained attack and they are winning all the battles. After that high octane game against the Rangers you knew a letdown was coming.

I guess even if Hart is found innocent , he will probably be traded due to the bad publicity . I just wonder how much his value has diminished.

The Canadiens are hammering us all over the ice and checking tight, we can’t get anything going.

The Canadiens tough dmen are pulverizing our guys.

Just heard, the Flyers are working on getting him here. Even though he’s 28, that’s fine, if Hart isn’t coming back Fedetov is the perfect backup to Ersson. Kolosov will need time in the AHL anyway.

Are there any management positions that Torts can move to? We already have Jones as President and Briere as GM. That leaves maybe a VP job? I don’t think a guy like Torts would be happy as a VP, he would probably be eyeing Jones’ job within a short time, it might create problems.

I agree with your assessments but even if we have the best defense and wingers and win lots of battles we are not coming close to a cup with Scott Laughton as your #1 center. We need to move up in the draft and grab one of those top 2 centers, although we might have to wait another year for them to be ready. I don’t see many teams looking to unload first and second line centers. The only one I’m aware of is Zegras, but I’m not sure if he is the answer. York has really emerged ,Attard and Ginning look solid, Zamula too, Bonk is kicking ass and Andrae is almost ready. We have too many dmen , we may have to trade Drysdale and our pick to move up. Or else Konecny since we are stacked on right wing and our top prospect Michkov is also a right wing. Center is our top priority

Behind every great wingers success is a skilled playmaking center.

The worst PP three years in a row . This has never happened in the history of the NHL and we also are one of the worst in the shootout since its inception.

Great effort, but when you look at the Rangers fluid puck movement , PP skills and quality plays they setup as compared to our choppy plays, it shows us how far we still have to go in the skill level. Gotta love that pass by Frost to setup Tippett. We would be morons to trade that guy. His creativity is exactly what we need more of.