CreaseAndAssist

Well Chicago's defense isn't great and lacks experience. Maata can help in both capacities. I think its a low risk move for Chicago.

Impossible season? They didn't make the playoffs despite the fact they looked like they were on their way. In that way they demonstrated they were very much the Coyotes like every other year. Maybe a little promising but not nearly enough.

(yawn) There is no guarantee Skinner will live up to this deal, in fact...stats would indicate he won't over the course of the deal. They still have players to pay. You can't afford to give every player almost $10 million just to stick around. Will ownership finally back off and let this team grow organically instead of thinking its going to happen by changing the guy behind the bench.

I'd love to have Kahun with the Wild. Decent trade for both teams.

I thought it was kind of crappy Boughner got let go, but I guess they felt Quenneville was their guy. Its too bad they could not have kept him, because I think he was doing a lot of things right. If the Panthers can snag Panarin and Bobrovsky as expected this team will be pretty damn good. Their defense is where they need improvement because with Panarin, Barkov, Hoffman, Dadonov, they have a potent attack.

Trading Kahun and a 5th for Maata is probably a step in the right direction. The Blackhawks' issues are all about their blueline. They could also use some secondary scoring too. Kane and Toews and to a lesser extent DeBrincat are most of Chicago's offense. They'll have to take steps to address that. Colliton didn't seem to have too much trouble getting that club to play hard which is a good sign for them.

Jets are a tough team to understand. This SHOULD'VE been their year. They had the right mix of vets and young talent but it didn't happen. They didn't take the next step. Laine seemed to be kind of lost and people are wondering if he's a glorified one-trick pony. But they at least have time to figure it out. The Jets need to start revamping some of its roster as the last few former Thrashers parts are getting older. I thought they underperformed big time this year. I can't imagine Paul Maurice would survive a slow start this next season.

Rantanen and MacKinnon are both pretty impressive. If they had some secondary scoring they could be really scary. Their bottom lines have good speed and energy, but they don't chip in enough offensively. Defensively, its still a work in progress but they're getting better. Cale Makar looks like a steal and will terrorize teams for years. I think Sakic lucked into the 4th Overall pick in the Duchene deal, but the truth is Colorado is going to get another blue chip youngster. Things are looking pretty bright in Colorado.

Meh, they became a better team defensively and Bishop and Khudobin were a decent combo between the pipes. The Stars have a lot of talent in their prime and they should be better than they are. They're closer to challenging for a top spot in the Central than Chicago and Minnesota are, but that isn't saying much.

This is a good deal? For who? Its a horrific deal, not just for the Buffalo Sabres, but the rest of the league because any comparable player is going to want that much $$$ and maybe a NTC/NMC to boot. Buffalo will regret this deal, and they took a giant crap on the rest of the league in the process in raising the asking price of just about any free agent out there. Stupid on every level.

Yea, its a no take-backsie's kind of a deal. And most of the time these are the kind of deals you wish you could take back.

I thought about saying, so these 18 players have no chance to be drafted by the Minnesota Wild. I am sure our guy with 2 years of experience will pick someone we could've had in the 6th round with our 1st pick.

Here is my list of the players I assessed so far (all 18) if you're looking at what my draft board would be if I was the Wild's GM. 1. C, Peyton Krebs 2. LD, Thomas Harley 3. RD, Moritz Seider 4. G, Spencer Knight 5. RW, Raphael Lavoie 6. LD, Ville Heinola 7. RW, Cole Caufield 8. LD, Matt Robertson 9. G, Mads Sogaard 10. C, Alex Newhook 11. RW, Arthur Kaliyev 12. RD, Lassi Thomson 13. RW, Bobby Brink 14. LD, Ryan Johnson 15. G, Pyotr Kochetkov 16. G Hunter Jones 17. G, Dustin Wolf 18. G, Isaiah Saville

I have one more article ready to go. Its about players that will be available beyond the 1st round. Knight looks like he might be worth taking at 12, but I still am hesitant to take a goalie in the 1st round.

I am still not a fan of drafting a goalie in the 1st round.

Exactly. As the more harsh way of saying it, "don't piss on my leg and tell me its raining outside." I think this fanbase is more than capable of tolerating reality. I think most recognize its old, slow and has a pretty shallow prospect pool. I think they realize we're not even close to being a contender for the Cup let alone the playoffs. So what, we need to rebuild. Of course we freakin' do! Why pretend that isn't necessary when everyone knows it is. Unless the owner simply can't tolerate it, its not like its his money anyways...its his wife's.

As I said on Twitter...the Minnesota Wild are going to have their 'reckoning' this summer. Listening to Russo's podcast (the one I attended) I totally missed that Brock Nelson apparently wanted to come back...but instead took the Islanders' extension instead. Not that we have to have every single Minnesota player but its more proof that the outside view of this club is pretty ugly. Despite what the Kool Aid drinkers want people to believe. Reading Fenton talk glowingly about his son, and his whopping 2 years of NHL scouting experience and now he and another guy are leading our draft this year. Yikes. Its clear this organization isn't about winning, its about making a few individuals comfortable and they simply hope there are enough suckers out there that believe their crap. This team should save its money, because its going to be losing a lot of it this year with the attendance problem they're going to start to have.

(shrugs) Wild fans were surprised it wasn't a trade involving Buffalo since that was Chuck's favorite trade partner when he was with the Wild. Niskanen is a reasonable player. I'd like him better than Gudas, even though Gudas is more of a hitter. Perhaps he feels the Flyers need a bit more veteran influence on its blueline.

2019 Minnesota Wild Draft Preview: Goaltenders Only 1 goaltender is probably a sure-fire 1st round pick, maybe 2. But here is the rundown of my thoughts on goaltenders that are available in this draft. Check it out. Russo has hinted more than once the team may be taking a long look at Spencer Knight.

With the 26th Overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Calgary Flames are proud to select from the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, goaltneder Mads Sogaard! Sogaard gives the Flames a viable starting goaltender prospect, who combines excellent athleticism with great size. We feel very fortunate and confident that Sogaard will be our anchor in the crease and hopefully a pivotal piece as we work for a 2nd Stanley Cup!

That's true, I was listening to it as I was driving back to Wisconsin today. It was nauseating. What a Kool Aid drinker. So sad.

Beyond the Pod: Tom Kurvers & Scott Sandelin Listen to Kurvers and Micheletti...we are so close yada yada yada.

The Ottawa Senators (cough Quebec Nordiques cough) are proud to select, from Adler Mannheim of the German Budesliga, defenseman Moritz Seider! He has size, is a right-shot, moves well and was the German league rookie of the year competing against men! We feel he'll be a cornerstone in our top 4 for years to come! @bbgarnett you and New York Rangers are on the clock!

I would agree. The risk factor seems lower from this blue line group than the forward group.

2019 Minnesota Wild Draft Preview: Defenseman Part 2 of 4, this time with the focus on defenseman. This class of defenseman is kind of deep with guys who I think have NHL futures. While I have Harley at #1, in retrospect...I like Moritz Seider a lot more. I think he checks off more boxes and I've heard nothing but good things about him.