They can talk.

They can dance.

They can book a hotel room, take off their clothes and lie under the covers together.

They just can't sign the contract until noon tomorrow.
- Atomic Wedgie

Nope- NHL issued a memo saying no contract talks.

Guy, no insults please, it is all just opinions, lets agree to disagree and move on.
- LeafMan

Just make HH go away please .

It's quite painful

Rumoured?

That is Happening.

Isn't it E5 yet??
- Byfuglien Ate Me

It's puke inducing.

I think players still have to adjust to the speed and structure of the NHL. I think the AHL is a good place for players to adjust to the physicality of the pro game. These kids are coming from playing against just that, kids. AHL helps develop players strength playing against men, not kids.

Regardless, there isn't an argument whether or not AHL is a development league. It absolutely is. ANY league is a development league as long as the player is playing hockey and not sitting on their ass. The ultimate goal is to be in the NHL. Playing the game and bettering themselves as a player is developing.
- markmark

If that were true I'd be with you.

Just make HH go away please .

It's quite painful
- .HOHO.

Opa another that can't take a differing opinion.

I'll give you Kadri. No problem.

I'll give you Franson, but Franson isn't exactly a great example for you to cite. Yes, he was top-10 in scoring, but if the purpose of the AHL is to develop players, they obviously failed on Franson. The guy is so 1-dimensional, he is top 10 in scoring while getting 3rd pairing minutes.

So one guy who was sent to the A due to attitude problems, and a poorly developed d-man. Those are your best examples?

Sorry, but I have to agree with Honest Hockey here - don't think of the AHL as some "NHL College" where you send all your young guys and they learn how to be pro hockey players.

The track record just isn't there.
- Atomic Wedgie

agree. especially nowadays. guys are making the jump right from junior more often than they used to. the coaching in the CHL is really preparing these guys a lot more than it used to IMO. other guys are apprenticing in Europe because they make way more money.

Nope- NHL issued a memo saying no contract talks.
- Feeling Glucky?

Ummm, proof?

The point of the talking period is so that you can entertain offers.

James Mirtle ‏@mirtle 48m
Last three years: Bolland even strength points per game: 0.33. Bozak even strength PPG: 0.36. Bolland ES TOI: 13.0 per game. Bozak: 15.1.

Duncan Keith
Bryan Bickell
David Bolland

And a bunch of others for 60 or so games over a couple seasons.

Ummm, proof?

The point of the talking period is so that you can entertain offers.
- Atomic Wedgie

Michael Russo ‏@Russostrib 1h
MT @walsha: NHL GM's received a memo from the League TODAY informing them no negotiations or verbal offers allowed onUFA's until tomorrow

Duncan Keith
Bryan Bickell
David Bolland

And a bunch of others for 60 or so games over a couple seasons.
- mykokes

And that's supposed to make me change my mind?

Grabo - " I wish them to win SC without me"

Michael Russo ‏@Russostrib 1h
MT @walsha: NHL GM's received a memo from the League TODAY informing them no negotiations or verbal offers allowed onUFA's until tomorrow
- Feeling Glucky?

I don't get it.

How can you talk to guys without talking $ and term?

I'll give you Kadri. No problem.

I'll give you Franson, but Franson isn't exactly a great example for you to cite. Yes, he was top-10 in scoring, but if the purpose of the AHL is to develop players, they obviously failed on Franson. The guy is so 1-dimensional, he is top 10 in scoring while getting 3rd pairing minutes.

So one guy who was sent to the A due to attitude problems, and a poorly developed d-man. Those are your best examples?

Sorry, but I have to agree with Honest Hockey here - don't think of the AHL as some "NHL College" where you send all your young guys and they learn how to be pro hockey players.

The track record just isn't there.
- Atomic Wedgie

Not in the second half or the playoffs he didn't.

Ummm, proof?

The point of the talking period is so that you can entertain offers.
- Atomic Wedgie

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun 1h
The memo stipulates teams can't make formal contract offers until tomorrow when the market opens

I'll give you Kadri. No problem.

I'll give you Franson, but Franson isn't exactly a great example for you to cite. Yes, he was top-10 in scoring, but if the purpose of the AHL is to develop players, they obviously failed on Franson. The guy is so 1-dimensional, he is top 10 in scoring while getting 3rd pairing minutes.

So one guy who was sent to the A due to attitude problems, and a poorly developed d-man. Those are your best examples?

Sorry, but I have to agree with Honest Hockey here - don't think of the AHL as some "NHL College" where you send all your young guys and they learn how to be pro hockey players.

The track record just isn't there.
- Atomic Wedgie

Hairs are being split over exactly what constitutes development.

Players who don't have the required skill set or maturity to make the leap from junior to pro are sent to the ahl as a transition step. Even if they're education they take from it is as small as learning about the travel, speed of the game, expectations of pro hockey... Whatever. To me, that's constitutes your league as being a part of that players development.

There's no saying he has to play x amount of games, or he has to come out of the league looking like Crosby.

If that were true I'd be with you.
- honesthockey

So you're saying its detrimental and they shouldn't be playing at all?

I'll give you Kadri. No problem.

I'll give you Franson, but Franson isn't exactly a great example for you to cite. Yes, he was top-10 in scoring, but if the purpose of the AHL is to develop players, they obviously failed on Franson. The guy is so 1-dimensional, he is top 10 in scoring while getting 3rd pairing minutes.

So one guy who was sent to the A due to attitude problems, and a poorly developed d-man. Those are your best examples?

Sorry, but I have to agree with Honest Hockey here - don't think of the AHL as some "NHL College" where you send all your young guys and they learn how to be pro hockey players.

The track record just isn't there.
- Atomic Wedgie

You realize there are about 700 players in the NHL at any given time, more over the course of a whole year with injuries and whatnot. Are you saying that the majority of these NHL players come right out of junior? They don't spend any time in the AHL to hone their game?

I don't think anyone here is saying you send any junior guy into the AHL and they come out superstars or any guy who goes right from junior to the NHL would have been universally better with some time in the AHL. But to say the AHL hasn't played a role I'm the development of hundreds of current and thousands of former NHLers is silly at best and willfully ignorant to the point of just being contrarian for fun at worst.

I don't get it.

How can you talk to guys without talking $ and term?
- Atomic Wedgie

Talk about what movies they've watched, ask about how their wives/girlfriends are, see if they know any good coke dealers...

stuff like that.

Pierre LeBrun ‏@Real_ESPNLeBrun 1h
The memo stipulates teams can't make formal contract offers until tomorrow when the market opens
- Feeling Glucky?

OK, formal contract offers - meaning you can't send the guy paperwork.

Everything under that - including verbal - I 'm going to say is OK - or at least is being done.

And that's supposed to make me change my mind?
- honesthockey

No, I decided to check other teams starting with the Cup finalist and cup winner.....both teams had approx. 10-14 players that went through the AHL at some point, many of their first round picks skipped the AHL entirely. Ie. Seabrook went straight to the NHL, Keith didn't. I also tried to disqualify guys that were down there during the last lockout. But for both teams, the majority (not all) did spend time in the AHL. The problem is defining how much time a guy has to spend there for you to count it.

So you're saying its detrimental and they shouldn't be playing at all?
- markmark

Nope. But my expectation isn't for them to come up after extended AHL time and be major NHL contributors. Those players are already in the NHL. Kadri was an exception but you can't convince me he wouldn't have been even further ahead had he been in the lineup instead of signing Connolly.

You realize there are about 700 players in the NHL at any given time, more over the course of a whole year with injuries and whatnot. Are you saying that the majority of these NHL players come right out of junior? They don't spend any time in the AHL to hone their game?

I don't think anyone here is saying you send any junior guy into the AHL and they come out superstars or any guy who goes right from junior to the NHL would have been universally better with some time in the AHL. But to say the AHL hasn't played a role I'm the development of hundreds of current and thousands of former NHLers is silly at best and willfully ignorant to the point of just being contrarian for fun at worst.
- deerow84

The A plays a role.

It just doesn't play as significant a role as people want to think.

For the vast, vast majority of top line players, it's a holding tank until the roster spot is available.

That's all I'm saying.

Look at the Leafs' roster. Look at the number of guys who spent significant time in the A - it just doesn't add up to that much.

It's not a place to go learn the game. For most guys, it's a place to kill time until they get their shot.

Talk about what movies they've watched, ask about how their wives/girlfriends are, see if they know any good coke dealers...
stuff like that.
- Feeling Glucky?

I hope Nonis really knew his stuff on that one.

I'd love to sign Ribiero tomorrow.

No, I decided to check other teams starting with the Cup finalist and cup winner.....both teams had approx. 10-14 players that went through the AHL at some point, many of their first round picks skipped the AHL entirely. Ie. Seabrook went straight to the NHL, Keith didn't. I also tried to disqualify guys that were down there during the last lockout. But for both teams, the majority (not all) did spend time in the AHL.
- mykokes

Hey I agree with you but posting 2-third liners isn't that convincing.