AJgoal

With the 24th pick in the NHL draft, the Nashville Predators are pleased to select Alexander Newhook, Centre, Victoria, BCHL. While Nashville could certainly use some defensive prospects in order to prepare for the eventual decline of their top-4, I found it hard to pass on the value of Newhook at this position. Nashville still has question marks behind Johansen at centre, so picking Newhook gives them a potential 2C, or a very potent top 3 centre roster if the rumors of Duchene ending up there come true. Skating Newhook has game-breaking talent. His speed is amongst the best in the class, and he has the acceleration, edgework, and agility to go with it. Newhook makes skating look effortless, almost as if he’s gliding above the ice. He is deadly off the rush, as he can beat defenders in a multitude of ways. His speed makes him a threat to blow by a defender to the outside and cut to the net. He can also make a quick change of direction and cut to the inside of the ice. Newhook can also slow down to open up a shooting lane and use a defender as a screen. He is strong on his skates and has good balance for his age. This can improve with more muscle going forward. Offensive Game Newhook combines his sublime skating with the hands to make plays at top speed. He also has the smarts to seemingly always make a smart play with the puck. He has the ability to beat defenders with his finesse, and the power game to play in the dirty areas of the ice. Newhook sees the ice well and can find teammates to create a scoring chance. He has the passing skills through tight areas on both his forehand and backhand. Newhook is a playmaker both working the cycle game and off the rush. A multi-faceted offensive threat, Newhook also has a great shot and a quick release. His one-timer is a real weapon in the faceoff circles. He is not afraid to battle on the boards and to fight for position in front of the net. He is also willing to get to the dirty areas of the ice and take a hit to make a play. Newhook has everything that a scout could want in a top centre. Defensive Game Newhook has also shown the effort and instincts to be strong in his own end of the ice. He reads the play well and uses his strong positioning to cut down passing lanes and create turnovers. Newhook anticipates well and this helps him to be an effective penalty killer. He is also strong on face-offs. Newhook shows strength for his age and the ability to contain the play down low. He will get better at these aspects as he continues to grow. Scouting report: https://lastwordonhockey.com/2019/04/19/alex-newhook-scouting-report/ The Washington Capitals and @BobbyClarkeFan16 are on the clock.

Sorry for the delay folks. Tampa was really bugging us to give up this pick. With the 14th selection in the 2019 NHL Draft, the Arizona Coyotes are pleased to select Cole Caufield, left wing, United States National Team Development Program. Arizona needs a bit of everything, and pure scoring is one of them, and Caufield has it in spades. I know he is small, but nothing about the way he plays indicates that that will be an issue in the NHL. Skating Caufield is a very good skater. While he has very good top end speed, his best attributes are his acceleration and agility. Caufield can dart in and out of open space quickly. He changes speeds and fools defenders as a result. He uses his edges very well and moves laterally with ease. This helps him to beat defenders in one-on-one situations, both with and without the puck. As mentioned Caufield lacks size. However, he has a very strong lower body and powerful stride. This gives him excellent balance and he is tough to knock off the puck or beat in battles in front of the net. Offensive Game Caufield has an excellent arsenal of shots. His wrist shot and snapshot are both deadly accurate and have good power. They also have very quick releases which fool goaltenders. Caufield also has a very good one-timer. He has a knack for finding soft spots in the defence and getting his shot off. Caufield can even score on his backhand. He is not afraid to battle in the dirty areas of the ice and goes hard to the net. When he is there, he can score on rebounds and deflections due to his soft hands and excellent coordination. He also shows the ability to make passes through tight spaces and the vision to find teammates but is better known for his goal scoring. Caufield can show flashes of brilliance as a playmaker though. He also controls the puck well, even when moving at top speed. He can get by a defender with a quick fake or toe-drag. Overall, he has all the offensive tools one looks for in a player, with the exception being his lack of height. Defensive Game Caufield’s quickness and anticipation have helped him in the defensive end. He is very good at intercepting passes and creating turnovers. Once these happen he transitions quickly to offence. This has made him an effective penalty killer and a threat to score short handed. However, his lack of size has had a bigger effect in his five-on-five defensive game. He does not really do well in supporting the defence down low as he has a tough time containing bigger opponents in the cycle game. Scouting report: https://lastwordonhockey.com/2019/04/15/cole-caufield-scouting-report/ The Montreal Canadiens and @Hale are now on the clock.

Sorry folks, I know I was on the clock but I've barely been able to look at anything. I will try to get Arizona's pick up by midnight.

Girardi is cooked. The only reason he looked half decent this year is because Hedman was his partner - but he dragged Hedman's performance way down. Here's a quote from a post-season write up on him from Tampa's perspective: "Long story short, Girardi was an NHL player this season, but not a very good one." Not sure we need more of that on the blue line.

Can we trade MacDonald, retain half his salary, and then waive that down to the ECHL?

With the third pick in the 2019 NHL Entry draft, the Chicago Blackhawks are pleased to select Kirby Dach, Centre, Saskatoon. Big-bodied playmaking center with outstanding passing skills and soft hands who is one of the best draft-eligible players at incorporating all his teammates into the attack. Dach has a tremendous wingspan and reach that help him maintain control the puck for lengthy periods inside the offensive zone. He is a confident puck carrier up ice, and you’ll rarely see him advance via direct routes. Dach can create time and space using a variety of methods on zone entries, and he can stutter-step defenders out of position. All these traits force opponents to back away from him, which provides him with the opportunity to unleash a wicked wrist shot. Still, Dach certainly is more of a set-up man than a shooter, and you can make a strong argument that he is the best saucer-passer of any forward prospect. Dach has elusiveness for a big man, and his agility in tight spaces allows him to outmaneuver pesky opponents. His straight-line speed is average but deceptive, and his skating style and stride appears a bit choppy and short. Nonetheless, Dach has no problem inserting himself into a rush or initiating one himself, and you can count on him to create several odd-man chances each game. He can run a power play from the half wall and has confidence in his passes from either forehand or backhand, and he can sense when the time is right to make a decisive pay during a stagnant possession. Defensively, Dach will pressure the points, and he relies on his long stick to break up plays. He is, however, neither physical nor consistent on draws. Dach will drop down to support his defensemen, but he’ll dig for loose pucks rather than use his strength to knock it free. (https://www.thedraftanalyst.com/2019-nhl-draft/2019-draft-profile-c-kirby-dach/) If any team has the leadership group to break Dach of his few bad habits, it's Chicago. The upside here is immense. The Colorado Avalanche and @hf101 are on the clock.

zacly

The Flyers took two weeks to sign Streit after acquiring his rights. Let's not assume that Hayes is walking because he didn't do backflips and sign within minutes of the trade being announced. Of course he might, but the opposite is just as likely at the moment.

I trust McKenzie more than Friedman, so it seems even more doubtful that Patrick is going anywhere.

Right. So adding 1.6 million to their cap doesn't help them at all.

it would actually add to their cap hit.

Retain salary and trade him to Toronto for Kapanen. They need defense. I jest. Macdonald is not a Dubas kind of player.

Morin. MacDonald. Gritty.

I'm guessing, because I didn't see the actual article, only heard about it. My assumption is that it was more wishful thinking than anything else. Kind of the writer going 1+1=5 or something.

As I understand it, there was a Hockeybuzz writer from Buffalo that stated that this meant Couturier was available.

Once a player loses waiver exemption, he can't be assigned to the minors without passing through. It doesn't matter when you want to put him there.

Gudas has quietly been one of the best defensemen on the team since his arrival. Frankly, I'd prefer a mid-length extension to a trade.

The super secret one, like when Buffalo drafted that kid out of Japan?

Flip Farrabee and Lindblom. Lindblom has played both sides.

Back to the thread title, I support this. I think the best players on the team, like Jake, SHOULD be on the PK. But maybe that's just me.

Short answer: NO. Ever heard of Andrew MacDonald? Picture him but right-handed.

Simple answer is that he wants out of Winnipeg. Guaranteed they would want to keep him if they could. But he's signed several one-year deals trying to force his way out. He wants to play in the States. Winnipeg looking to move Trouba, in this particular case, is not a reason in and of itself to beware of getting him. From what I understand, at least part of it has to do with difficulties his fiancee is having with getting into med school in Canada as a non-citizen. But there are bits about his attitude that do make me wonder (ice time demands, etc).

I see this all the time. It's simply not true. D-men with 1000+ minutes (124 defensemen, rank, 1=best) Gostisbehere Shot attempts against/60: 56.37 (58th) Shots against/60: 30.53 (57th) Goals against/60: 2.94 (106th) Scoring Chances against/60: 25.73 (50th) High danger corsi against/60: 10.1 (35th) Expected goals against/60: 2.23 (43rd) On ice save %: 90.37 (114th) Trouba Shot attempts against/60: 58.9 (85th) Shots against/60: 32.88 (100th) Goals against/60: 2.84 (101st) Scoring Chances against/60: 26.1 (55th) High danger corsi against/60: 10.88 (60th) Expected goals against/60: 2.43 (85th) On ice save %: 91.35 (89th) Ghost ranks higher than Trouba on every defensive metric, with the exception of goals against. He suffers in this regard from one of the worst on-ice goalie performances. While quality of competition (and conversely, quality of teammate) will have some effect on these numbers, in most cases Gostisbehere ranks significantly higher. That's not all QOC. EDIT: Allow me to add that Gostisbehere played 500 minutes with either MacDonald, Hagg, or Folin. half that with Provorov. Trouba played over 900 minutes with Morrissey.

Huh.

I posited before that you could offer both him AND Johnsson. Bob McKenzie believes they're both going to get less than $3 million from the Leafs. Offer one at up to 4.2 per year for 5 years (2nd rounder), one at 4.3 for 5 (1st and 3rd). Force Toronto to make a choice. Now, if Johnsson files for arbitration, you can't sign him to an offer sheet. And unfortunately you can't go ~$4 million for each, because you only have one usable 2nd. So you'd have to play cat and mouse on which one you want more, and decide whether to offer that one low and hope Toronto goes for the higher compensation, or high and hope they don't match. EDIT: That doesn't make sense. Higher compensation = not matching. I have a headache.