You kidding me! There be weeks if not months of complaining if Holmgren doesn't take a defenseman.
- MJL

No doubt we can always find things to complain about, especially during the off-season. But for me personally, I'm going to look at the positives (and there should be many) of who we pick at #11, and forget everything else. (assuming we keep our #11...)

Nichushkin is a much bigger gamble than any of the other top forwards. He doesn't have the stats (even when comparing to others who took the same path) that make him an almost sure thing.
- bradleyc4

True but 6'4 210lbs forwards that skate like the wind and have top notch skills don't grow on trees. I'm not concerned about his KHL stats. The K is a tougher league than any that any other prospect plays in. If he had played Canadian junior he would have piled up the points.

No doubt we can always find things to complain about, especially during the off-season. But for me personally, I'm going to look at the positives (and there should be many) of who we pick at #11, and forget everything else. (assuming we keep our #11...)
- wolfhounds

I'm with you there 100%. I'm really looking forward to see how this off season develops.

Luckily in just more than a week we can all stop beating this poor draft horse.

And I'm partial to Risto, then Pulo.


- wolfhounds

I welcome any reference to the Rome mini-series on HBO. Criminally underrated.

You end up assuming the risk at some point. Whether its trading assets (Pronger) or signing a player to more than they're worth. (Carle). Who says that these two options are less risky than drafting a defenseman in the first round?
- PhillySportsGuy

Understood, and I agree. And sometimes you draft the stud you want only to trade him before his potential is realized (Chara). My only point is, it costs more to trade for D (typically - not many Schenn for JVR deals happen), and it would be, imo, a good idea to try to draft our own top dman.

You're talking about NHL equivalency. The numbers for Drouin were impressive, and has led a lot of people to speculate that he is actually the best prospect available, but nobody's affixing the "generational" tag to him.

Crosby/OV/Malkin were the last batch of true generational talents. Tavares and Stamkos were close. But this year, the top of the draft relates much closer to Yakupov/Hall/RNH than it does to the aforementioned guys. It's the depth that's really noteworthy.



Barkov = ethnically Russian w/ dual citizenship. As with most 2nd-generation immigrants, he identifies with both.
- Tomahawk

Maybe he likes identify himself of Russian heritage, but Barkov plays with the Finnish national team, not the Russian, like how Galchenyuk plays with team USA. My family is Russian, and I can identify myself as being Russian all I want. I can get a Russian citizenship and all, but it doesn't make me any less of a born and raised American. Just cause his dad is Russian, his name has an "ov" at the end, and he has citizenship there doesn't make him any less Finnish. If he grows to be a star then he'll be identified as a "Finnish" star, not a Russian. I had a Finnish friend who was born in Belgium, and had a citizenship there, but was still Finnish. They went to school in Finland, lived in Finland, did everything in Finland. I wouldn't identify that person as Belgian, I would identify them as Finnish.

Quick off-topic question: What current NHL players do you think, right now, are Hall of Famers?

First ballot:
Jagr (esp. if he wins a 3rd Cup)
Brodeur
Selanne
Crosby
Datsyuk

Later:
Chara
Ovechkin (unless he wins a Cup)
Malkin
Iginla
Lundqvist (again, a Cup changes things)

Just misses:
Lecavalier
St. Louis
E. Staal
Zetterberg
Rciahrds/Carter
Weber (as much as I like him)
Alredsson
Thornton

Too early for guys like Toews, Tavares, Stamkos, Eberle, Hall, Giroux, Karlsson.

I welcome any reference to the Rome mini-series on HBO. Criminally underrated.
- johndewar

First season was awesome, would put up against just about anything...then when they changed actors for the kid Octavius (right?), they kinda f'd things up a bit, and it seems like they rushed to get it done. Bastages.

FIFY
- Tomahawk

True but 6'4 210lbs forwards that skate like the wind and have top notch skills don't grow on trees. I'm not concerned about his KHL stats. The K is a tougher league than any that any other prospect plays in. If he had played Canadian junior he would have piled up the points.
- BiggE

I don't think anybody doubts his merits as a prospect, but to move NHL assets (somebody even suggested Couturier) to take what is essentially still a gamble on him? That would be risky if not risqué.

Not crazy on trading down. Would rather 1 Timonen then a grossmann and a talbot.
- youarewrong

I'd be ok with trading down, but I would target Columbus and see if I could flip #11 and #41 for #14 and #27. It may be a tough sell, but if there is someone the Jackets really love still on the board at 11, they may be persuaded to make that deal.

I'd be ok with trading down, but I would target Columbus and see if I could flip #11 and #41 for #14 and #27. It may be a tough sell, but if there is someone the Jackets really love still on the board at 11, they may be persuaded to make that deal.
- BiggE

That I would do. Definitely want to stay in the top half.
Again, hopefully Pulock or Ristolainen are available when they pick.

You kidding me! There will be weeks if not months of complaining regardless of who Holmgren takes
- MJL

ftfy

Understood, and I agree. And sometimes you draft the stud you want only to trade him before his potential is realized (Chara). My only point is, it costs more to trade for D (typically - not many Schenn for JVR deals happen), and it would be, imo, a good idea to try to draft our own top dman.
- wolfhounds

I just hope the team stays patient if they draft a dman. Most of the best Dmen in the league went through growing pains on bad teams. I fear that if a guy like Pulock struggles like Larsson, the fan base and management will want to trade him too early.

Maybe he likes identify himself of Russian heritage, but Barkov plays with the Finnish national team, not the Russian, like how Galchenyuk plays with team USA. My family is Russian, and I can identify myself as being Russian all I want. I can get a Russian citizenship and all, but it doesn't make me any less of a born and raised American. Just cause his dad is Russian, his name has an "ov" at the end, and he has citizenship there doesn't make him any less Finnish. If he grows to be a star then he'll be identified as a "Finnish" star, not a Russian. I had a Finnish friend who was born in Belgium, and had a citizenship there, but was still Finnish. They went to school in Finland, lived in Finland, did everything in Finland. I wouldn't identify that person as Belgian, I would identify them as Finnish.
- JAKEw1234

You're not grasping the distinction between ethnicity vs nationality.

True but 6'4 210lbs forwards that skate like the wind and have top notch skills don't grow on trees. I'm not concerned about his KHL stats. The K is a tougher league than any that any other prospect plays in. If he had played Canadian junior he would have piled up the points.
- BiggE

It's not about his stats in the KHL vs. other prospect's CHL stats.

it's Nichushkin's stats in the KHL vs. others at the same age in the same league. Well behind Tarasenko in PPG.

More Flyers Trade Rumors.......

http://www.lighthousehock...uire-everybody-nhl-satire
- Jack-Meoff

When it specifically says satire, don't present it as rumors. We need a hockey Snopes after a while.

When it specifically says satire, don't present it as rumors. We need a hockey Snopes after a while.
- bodiva88

I hear that, if you say Mike Sillinger 3 times and then look into the mirror, he appears wearing your favorite team's jersey.

I'd be ok with trading down, but I would target Columbus and see if I could flip #11 and #41 for #14 and #27. It may be a tough sell, but if there is someone the Jackets really love still on the board at 11, they may be persuaded to make that deal.
- BiggE

Flyers would probably have to throw in a late round pick, but it's a fair deal if Columbus was so inclined.

CAPGEEK.COM USER GENERATED ROSTER
My Custom Lineup
FORWARDS
Scott Hartnell ($4.750m) / Claude Giroux ($3.750m) / Jakub Voracek ($4.250m)
Tye McGinn ($0.775m) / Brayden Schenn ($3.110m) / Wayne Simmonds ($3.975m)
Scott Laughton ($1.107m) / Maxime Talbot ($1.750m) / Bobby Ryan ($5.100m)
Matt Read ($0.900m) / Sean Couturier ($1.375m) / Zac Rinaldo ($0.750m)
Jay Rosehill ($0.675m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Kimmo Timonen ($6.000m) / Mark Streit ($5.250m)
Chris Pronger ($4.941m) / Luke Schenn ($3.600m)
Andrej Meszaros ($4.000m) / Bruno Gervais ($0.825m)
Nicklas Grossmann ($3.500m) /
GOALTENDERS
Jonas Hiller ($3.600m—20.0%)
Steve Mason ($1.500m)
OTHER
Buyout: Oskars Bartulis ($0.100m)
Buyout: Ilya Bryzgalov ($0.000m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(these totals are compiled with the bonus cushion)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $65,766,022; BONUSES: $2,800,000
CAP SPACE (22-man roster): $1,333,978

What do you guys think huh huh? I have the 11th and Coburn going to Ducks for Ryan and Hiller with Ducks eating %20 of Hillers salary a season? Could work financially but dont know if it would happen.

Quick off-topic question: What current NHL players do you think, right now, are Hall of Famers?

First ballot:
Jagr (esp. if he wins a 3rd Cup)
Brodeur
Selanne
Crosby
Datsyuk


Later:
Chara
Ovechkin (unless he wins a Cup)
Malkin
Iginla
Lundqvist (again, a Cup changes things)

Just misses:
Lecavalier
St. Louis
E. Staal
Zetterberg
Rciahrds/Carter
Weber (as much as I like him)
Alredsson
Thornton

Too early for guys like Toews, Tavares, Stamkos, Eberle, Hall, Giroux, Karlsson.
- jmatchett383

Good list

Jagr is 1st ballot no matter what, just look at his stats
Iginla is also going 1st ballot, he's a former Hart trophy winner and for years was the top RW in the game.

Chara could be a 1st ballot guy, especially if he captains the Bruins to a 2nd cup this year.

I can't see St. Louis not getting in and I don't think Richards, Carter or Lecavalier will even be that close.

You're not grasping the distinction between ethnicity vs nationality.
- Tomahawk

Do you grasp the distinction between a style of play and attitude that is socially or culturally based versus the genetics of a hockey player? Because that seems to be the point here. He's a Finnish player in development, not a Russian player (did not come up in the Russian system).

You're not grasping the distinction between ethnicity vs nationality.
- Tomahawk

Ethnicity implies that he is of Russian blood, I get it. But you tried to point out that Nichushkin isn't the best Russian in the draft because Barkov is ahead of him, when in fact Nichushkin is the best Russian in the draft, and Barkov is the best Finn.

What do you guys think huh huh? I have the 11th and Coburn going to Ducks for Ryan and Hiller with Ducks eating %20 of Hillers salary a season? Could work financially but dont know if it would happen.
- flyerfan28

Getting a scoring winger to play with Giroux is more of a luxury. I don't see how getting rid of Coburn and acquiring Ryan helps the Flyers get better in their own end.

Getting a scoring winger to play with Giroux is more of a luxury. I don't see how getting rid of Coburn and acquiring Ryan helps the Flyers get better in their own end.
- PhillySportsGuy

Also getting a pretty good goaltender coming back plus he only has one year left til UFA....Gives the Flyers a season to see if they can roll with Mason or Hiller long term.